Gospel Love For The Beloved

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. - Romans 12:9–13 (ESV) Love should be easy. Right? It's a simple feeling and it should come naturally to us. Right? That is what we hear in songs and speeches and movies. 'If we could all just love each other things would work out.' Right? I don't think it's that simple. Love, real love, is not our natural inclination. We love those that love us. When there is conflict, when we don't feel like it, or when we just aren't feeling it, love seems to evaporate. We are left feeling like we didn't get what we deserve, and we are ready to find revenge instead of love. The Gospel reorganizes (actually resurrects) our hearts with real love both for God and for others. In this passage of Romans 12, Paul exposes the practical implications of the gospel by giving us a piece of the Law of Love. Take a few few minutes to read through Romans 12. Also, be praying for who you can invite for our passion week events coming up soon. Our invitations were held up in production so they won't make it here till Monday. They will be available next week to take, and don't forget to check out the rest of the email with upcoming events and info of what is going on around Hope.