Romans 13:8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
The “continuing debt to love one another” is a debt we continue to pay, again and again and again. God is really good at the continuing debt to love one another. Jesus is, too. Both are shining examples of continued love through a host of circumstances, from incredibly difficult to really easy.
Romans 13:9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Me? I meet the commandment with varying degrees of success, I’m afraid. When life is in a stable place, it’s easy to pay the continuing debt to love one another. When I’m exhausted and overwhelmed, struggling to keep my head above water, self-preservation becomes paramount, and the idea of the continuing debt to love one another is hard to find.
Romans 13:10a Love does no harm to a neighbor.
Lord, Thank You for Your reminder of the continuing debt to love one another and Your abundant examples of how to love in difficult circumstances. Help me, always, to be mindful of the continuing debt to love one another. Help me to love even when I struggle. Amen.
Romans 13:10b Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Have a blessed day.