Romans 13-16: Yesterday we were walking the mountainside palace of Herod the Great. It is a place where about 200 Jewish men, women and children took their own lives rather than become slaves to Rome. The Romans had broken down their defense wall and the next day would prepare to come in and take them. Their leaders determined to burn the mountain top palace and kill everyone themselves to prevent Rome from getting anything or anyone. As we walked the mountainside there were students and travelers everywhere. One young man was singing an old John Denver song. As he walked past me. I joined in his song and he smiled as we sang together. I thought then about the lyrics to another old song “Music is a universal language and love is the key.” I thought then how if we as people would learn to love each other like the Father wanted us to how many wars and needless deaths would be done away with. If we love each other we would worship the Lord together or at least not kill each other over religion. This place is a memorial stone to the huge number of people who have died in the name of religion.
Romans 13:8 “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
13:10 “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Amen and amen. Love is the only thing that will bring peace to the Middle East and to the city where you live. To quote another old song, “What the world needs now is love sweet love.” Not a selfish love or a self seeking one, but one that considers someone else above your own self. Philippians 2 says that there was One who loved us so much that He left His throne in Heaven to die for us. May we reflect His love today.