The Daily Word: Tuesday, July 30th, 2019
2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27
Romans 13:1-14
Psalm 23:1-6
Proverbs 20:11
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Rom 13:9
I always love a good summary. A good summary saves time. A good summary gets right to the point. A good summary provides context so you can go back and read the fine print, properly understanding the heart of the matter before you dive into details.
Here, Scripture provides a good summary:
…and if there is any other commandment, [all are] summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (v 9).
If it doesn’t convey love, it doesn’t matter. You can be phenomenally anointed and wonderfully talented, but if the things you do for God don’t have the motive of love, you are just “a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor 13:1). You can have a successful career and a model family, but if you don’t learn to love in the process, what’s the point?
The Bible tells us many things and provides many details on how to live our lives, but the purpose of it all (according the Romans 13:9), is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Does the way you’re reading the Bible inspire you to love people better? Does the way you’re praying allow you to love people better? Does the life you’re living leave time and space for you to love people like their very lives depend on it?
Prayer:
Father, teach me how to love. I want to love my neighbor as myself! But I need Your help. Show me whom and how to love today. Help me to understand that everything Your word says is meant to help me love more: to love deeper, and to love better, in Jesus’ name.
Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.
See commentary from this day in 2018.
© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.