LET LOVE BE GENUINE

BY REV HENRY HONG

With the blessings of another year and the coming celebration of the Lunar New Year, let the theme of our church be a continual guide to us in ‘Showing Care For One Another.’

Looking at the context in Paul’s letter to the Christians in Romans helps to clarify how we can truly care for others (Rom 12:9-13 ESV),

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour.

11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Do you want to know how to live the Christian life in your rough-and-tumble world? Take to heart these five simple verses.*

Our love for others should be genuine and unmasked. We should take delight in honouring others. That can be difficult in the workplace, where we often feel that we don’t get the credit we deserve; it can be difficult at home, where we know all too well the flaws of those with whom we live. But when we love genuinely, we should also be delighted to give honour.

We should hate wrong and hold tightly to the good. “Never be lazy; work hard; serve the Lord enthusiastically” (v.11, NLT). If we combine these phrases with another command to “work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (Col. 3:23 NLT), we see that whatever job we have – our occupation, our church commitments, our family plans, our board involvements; whatever is our schedule is, it should be done enthusiastically as if we are doing it for the Lord. In addition, we should willingly help others and be hospitable.

We can rejoice and be confident – our hope in God who has promised salvation and eternal life! What could possibly pull us down? So be patient in trouble and stay in close communication with God in prayer.

Five verses. Make these a priority and you’ll find that other things will fall into place. Wishing all a blessed Lunar New Year and a meaningful time of connection with all our loved ones, whether they are with us or elsewhere. Emmanuel!

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*Acknowledgement, Devotional notes from The Traveller’s Devotional Bible.