Leviticus 6:1-7:27 / Mark 3:7-30 / Psalm 37:1-11 / Proverbs 10:3-4
Romans 12:
11 Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord.
12 When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful.
13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.
14 Bless those who hurt you. Bless them, and do not call down curses on them.
15 Be joyful with those who are joyful. Be sad with those who are sad.
16 Agree with each other. Don’t be proud. Be willing to be a friend of people who aren’t considered important. Don’t think that you are better than others.
17 Don’t pay back evil with evil. Be careful to do what everyone thinks is right.
18 If possible, live in peace with everyone. Do that as much as you can.
19 My friends, don’t try to get even. Leave room for God to show his anger. It is written, “I am the One who judges people. I will pay them back,”(Deuteronomy 32:35) says the Lord.
20 Do just the opposite. Scripture says, “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. By doing those things, you will pile up burning coals on their heads.” (Proverbs 25:21,22)
21 Don’t let evil overcome you. Overcome evil by doing good.
When I started reading the above passage of scripture, I couldn’t simply stop with verse 11, although it is the spark God placed in my heart when reading in Leviticus. God warned the priests that the fire on the altar must never go out. That warning caused me to think about the fact that the fire of the Holy Spirit must never be allowed to be extinguished in our hearts.
I’ve loved Jesus since I was 5 years old. I’ve had seasons of a warm heart and seasons of an indifferent heart, but I can tell you that most seasons have been of a heart aflame with passion for the One who loves my soul. Even as I write this, my heart is on fire with love for Jesus Christ.
I kept reading above because the fruit of that fire in our hearts are the things that follow in verses 12-21. There is so much beautiful and needed instruction in these verses, but there is also proof. Do you ever wonder whether someone is sincerely a follower of Christ? These verses seem like a good test of that fact. I’m not saying we live this perfectly, but we ought to be striving to live in such a way that we would be convicted if tried.
As you read the above verses, which concept stands out to you? For me – be willing to be a friend of people who aren’t considered important. But all the content is convicting to my heart.
Today I’ll strive to be that friend. Tomorrow, I may focus on overcoming evil with good!
