Trustworthy Love

Thanks and thanks for joining us for another daily encouragement in the daily devotional Monica LaRose wrote today's reading and she titled it trustworthy. Love, I can't stop thinking about it my emotions were 18 tangled mess of sadness guilt anger and confusion.

Years ago I made the painful decision to cut ties with someone close to me after attempts to address deeply hurtful behavior or merely met with dismissal and denial today. After hearing she was in town visiting my thoughts had spiraled into hashing and rehashing the past.

As I struggled to call my thoughts.

I heard a song playing on the radio. The song express not just the anguish of betrayal but also a profound longing for change and healing in the person who caused harm tears filled my eyes as I soaked in the haunting ballad giving voice to my own deepest longings. Love must be sincere. The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12 nine.

A reminder that not all that passes for love is genuine, yet our hearts deepest longing is to know real love love that isn't self-serving or manipulative but compassionate in self giving love. That's not a fear driven need for control, but a joyful commitment to each other's well-being. And that's the good news the gospel because of Jesus we can finally know and share a lovely contrast, a love that will never cause us harm to live in his love is to be free today Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Romans chapter 12 verses nine through 21. Love must be sincere.

Hate what is evil, clean to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves never be lacking in steel 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. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice mourn with those who mourn, live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone if it is possible as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, it is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Let's pray, letting God every day it seems we need to learn. Once again, the difference between real and counterfeit love.

Help us learn how to know authentic love, Christ's love and share it with those around us.

Thank you Lord Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Thanks for listening today.

My name is Alisa Reisinger and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries