Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Daily Devotion

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River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

Romans 13:10

"Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

Paul said here that love does no harm to a neighbor. I believe "doing no harm to a neighbor" should be the ethical standard that everyone understands. Even if there were no love, we as Chinese would know the sense of propriety, justice, honesty and honor, and do no harm to a neighbor. But that doesn't mean that we would not harbor hatred in our heart. There is a saying that "good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil. We must save our outrage for the times when justice is not rendered." In fact, this kind of thought of seeking revenge will never make us a better person. Instead, there will be bitterness inside us. No wonder someone once said: "Hatred in the heart will turn a beauty into a witch." Only the love of Christ can melt away all the bitterness and grief in our heart. Whenever we think of Jesus who died for us on the cross, our heart cannot help being touched.

When the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci was painting Judas into the "last supper", he wondered how Judas should look like. The first face that occurred to him was the one of the person he hated the most. So he thought it might be the best way to get even with him, and he painted the face of his adversary on Judas. The next day, when he was getting ready to paint Jesus, to his surprise he couldn't do it. He felt anxious and couldn't fall asleep that night. The more he pondered on the love of Jesus, the harder it was for him to fall asleep. Suddenly he realized something. So he got off his bed in the middle of the night, walked into his studio and removed the face of his adversary off the painting. At that moment, he said he was filled with love and forgiveness, as if he could clearly see the image of Jesus Christ.

Love does no harm to a neighbor. How are you feeling now? Is there any thought of doing harm to someone hidden in your heart? Ask the Lord to forgive you, and fill your heart with his love, so that you will no longer be in the bondage of this sin, and get set free in your heart.

Pray with Pastor Tong Liu

Edit Image Lord, fill us with your Spirit. Take away any bitterness or hatred from our heart. May your love melt our heart and your image take root in our heart. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!