Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation–Romans 12:11

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Welcome to today’s Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation covering Romans 12:11 where we explore the subjects of zeal, fervor, and service unto the Lord.

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Contained within a flurry of directives for all who have experienced the saving grace of God, this verse sits as somewhat of a backbone for what surrounds it.  Being zealous, fervent, and service-oriented will, when correctly applied, branch out into practical Christian living.  First here is the command to avoid slothfulness in zeal.  This might at first sound redundant, for one who is zealous must also be active, but in actuality zeal can be contained mostly in the mind or show itself merely through talk.  But there is to be an energy level associated with the zeal here described that leads us to action and to a general maintenance of passion.  We will indeed have a continuing zeal when we bring to mind often what it is that we have to be zealous about, for the Christian has been given eyes to see what is of greatest value in the universe, namely God and His glory.  This information is excitement inducing and passion fueling.

Second, there is the instruction to be fervent in spirit.  Not unlike what has been observed about zeal, fervency within gives the idea of an inner, energetic stirring.  A constant “high” of an authentic nature is here called for.  This does not mean that we will not experience a wide range of emotion, but that we will go through those emotions with an inner blaze.  When we weep with others, we will do it in godly sorrow; when we rejoice, we will be ultimately lifted up in the right things and not in the frivolous.

Finally, with the aforementioned things in place within our souls, we must serve the Lord.  We must serve the One that we are zealous for and fervent over.  It is not enough to have and exercise passion if it is not unto the Savior who purchased us as His own.  The Christian is called to give him/herself to the Lord in the abandoning of ourselves and our earthly desires.  There is no room to live for oneself when we are not our own.  And so, serving the Lord will be done by putting into practice the verses in context through practicing love, goodness, honor, rejoicing, patience, prayerfulness, generosity, hospitality, etc.

The Christian is to live one life, with one passion, with one goal of going all out whether in prayer closet silence or rooftop proclamation of and unto our one Lord and King, Jesus Christ.

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