“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them… Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other… Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” (Rom. 12:9-10, 18)
Lord Jesus, nothing is more daily than our relationships—beginning with your relationship with us. Because of what you’ve done for us, we live today under this glorious declaration, “No condemnation for your sin remains” (Rom. 8:1). But we don’t just celebrate the absence of judgment, we rejoice in the wonder of our belovedness. Forgiven as we’ll ever be, and robed in your perfect righteousness, we gratefully sing “His banner over me is love!” (Song of Songs 2:4). We are so loved… and so called.
It’s true, hurt people hurt others. But it’s more true, we the loved are called to a “life of love” (Eph.5:2). We can’t control others, and shouldn’t try. But we can take responsibility for our forgiving, encouraging, and serving—to do all we can “to live in peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18).
Jesus, you never promised us conflict-free, always-connected relationships before heaven. But you have promised we’ll never experience a Jesus-absent day, or a morning that doesn’t begin with new mercies. You also promised to do much more than we can ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20). Thank you.
None of our relationships are beyond the need or reach of your grace. Forgive us for under-believing the Gospel and over-believing the worst in any of us. Free us from relating to others more out of our insecurities than out of our in-Christ-ness. Help us, Jesus. Free us. Heal us. Then free us some more. So Very Amen.
