Practice Hospitality
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13
Insight
When I think of delighting in the Lord and what that means, I think about the moments I feel closest to him. Almost every single one can be tied back to a part from Romans 12:9-13. Today's passage is referred to as "Love in Action." I am constantly fascinated by how scripture is so complex yet simple in guiding our relationship with God. In just 59 words, I have tangible ways to approach just about anything in my life in a way that honors God.
I delight in being devoted to others in love through intentional relationships. Spending time with people in every area of my life is an opportunity to show sincere love. Honoring others above myself helps me fully understand that we are all God's children and how beautiful that can be. When I think of spiritual fervor, I immediately connect it to evangelism - not necessarily where you stand on the college campus with a speaker and signs, but where your passion for Jesus overflows from your conversations. It's hard for me to talk about Jesus without zeal! I delight in the hope that God has the best plan for me, no matter what may come with that, making patience in affliction easier. Ever since I started viewing prayer as my intimate conversations with God, I recognize the gift it is to have a relationship with the One who created all. Serving those in need allows us to delight by being the Lord's hands and feet.
If I had to pick a favorite piece of Romans 12, it would be the call to practice hospitality - not because I love hosting people in my apartment, but because I get to be hospitable to people as they encounter the Lord's home. As the Welcome Team Coordinator, I get to steward how we practice this for our church. Every encounter we have in life is an opportunity to welcome someone into a relationship with the Lord, to invite them into His house. What could bring more delight in the Lord than walking alongside others as they discover what that means for them?
I find delight in being able to practice each portion of this scripture. Simply 59 words that serve as a foundation for how we approach our everyday, ordinary life. Of the over 700,000 words in the Bible, I encourage you to find delight in living them out.
Reflection
What is a piece of scripture that you keep in front of you as a call to live your life, and how you find delight in it?
Prayer
God, I pray we can turn to Your Word in all we do. May we take what we read and put it into practice in our lives, that we delight in what a gift it is for us to do that. I pray that through it, we give You honor and glory. Amen.
Lillian Beecroft, Welcome Team Coordinator at our Wilmington Campus, wrote today’s devotional.