Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the LORD. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Remember that Beatles song from the 60’s? ‘Love, love, love,…love, love, love, …love, love, love…love is all ya need.’
While love is necessary, and even mandatory, but we do need a little more motivation when the first blush of love fades. That’s where the other emotions kick in. The one’s that don’t always give us the warm fuzzy feelings! The Lord tells us through Paul in this book of Romans, devotion, honor, zeal, fervor, servant-hood, joy, hope, patience when afflicted, prayerful, and hospitable are the attributes needed to make relationships work. Wow, that’s a lot! It does not come easily either. Yet we know that nothing worth doing does come easily, right?
Yesterday a friend of mine went home to Jesus. She suffered with medical issues for months, in and out of hospitals. During this corona stuff her husband was rarely able to visit her. His devotion did not waver, he called and went to visit as often as he was allowed. In her transition home, he and several children were there. A devoted health care worker even used her own phone to bring a grandson into the room through Facetime. She smiled. Their Mom was being honored.
My Aunt is also hospitalized. Her daughter took my aunt into her home to care for her through her recovery from a surgery. This morning, she is in ER after a seizure. My cousin has been by her side as much as they will allow. My cousin has been a servant.
Last month a friend contacted us. His Mom passed away. They were all there able to say their last good-byes, though before the end, when she was hospitalized, they were not allowed in. Yet, her daughter was allowed to stay quite a bit. Patience was a virtue she learned in the hospital.
My nephew and his wife have a child with spina bifida. The amount of work, effort and commitment to this boy is monumental! A few years ago, they lost their oldest to brain cancer. Patient in affliction.
Their devotion to their loved one is exemplary. While it is not easy to change your life to accommodate an illness or death, we do it gladly for someone we love.
My own Mom is suffering right now with a leg and back pain, and a sight problem. It has prompted my husband and I to think of the future if she cannot live alone. We will make accommodations for her that will benefit her.
This is where the rest of those emotions and attributes Paul talked about kick in. This is where reality goes beyond the repetitive words of a song, to the actions in the hard places.
When we are faithful in prayer the Lord infuses us with His power to be joyful, have zeal and patience as we serve our loved ones as unto Christ!
Question: How are you serving as ‘unto Christ?’
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