All too often I find myself living the christian lifestyle; going to church, dressing modestly, not watching or listening to inappropriate things, etc.. but not have a desire to further my relationship with God. I may look the part but in essence, I am behaving like an atheist. I hate that. I hate days when I am not seeking God or delving into His word for my spiritual food for the day. I want to love Him and desire Him all the days of my life but some days my sinful desires win and I choose to rely on my own strength and knowledge to make it through.
I came across this image online and it really made me think. Take away the Jesus stickers, clothes, jewelry, etc.. and would people be able to tell that you loved Jesus? What differentiates us from the rest of the world? The verses referenced were exactly what my husband and I had been looking for. That is the church. That is what genuine faith looks like.
Romans 12:9-21 9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
I need to be reminded (many times) of gospel truths before they really begin to sink in. Dwelling on these passages for a few minutes each day really helps me to focus on what my objective is in this world. The chief end of man is to glorify God and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to live out the words of this passage. I am choosing to rely on Him to help me have genuine faith and demonstrate love in action.
