Only Owe Love

Owe nothing to anyone – except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. – (Romans 13:8, NLT)

You should owe nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands. – (Romans 13:8, ERV)

Don’t owe anything to anyone, except your outstanding debt to continually love one another, for the one who learns to love has fulfilled every requirement of the law. – (Romans 13:8, TPT)

 

Being in debt to one another provides opportunity for division. However, the debt of love that we owe to the One who loved us with His very life, is one that makes us right before the Lord as we seek to love others as we are loved by God. As we recognize the call to love God and love people, the charge to choose love is a debt that is good and right to ever seek fulfill. For as we opt to love others, we meet the requirements of our Redeemer. Let us not borrow what cannot be repaid, but rather choose to love as Christ, for all of our days.

 

Don’t borrow beyond,

What can be repaid;

Instead, choose to love,

Like He who has saved.

For those who choose love,

Fulfill the Lord’s law;

We each have been called,

To love with our all.

May our only debt,

Be a loving one;

So our days are spent,

Loving like the Son.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You loved us with Your very life. Thank You that You call us to love one another in the same way. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to love according to Your will, or lack responsibility with our resources. Teach us to trust You more, so that our only debt owed is the one of love that is an ongoing payment through loving You and all those around us. Show us how to love others as we are loved by You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to love like You, for all of our days. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. – Proverbs 22:7

Owe Only Love

Owe nothing to anyone – except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. – (Romans 13:8, NLT)

You should own nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands. – (Romans 13:8, ERV)

Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. – (Romans 13:8, MSG)

 

God calls us to love one another as we have been loved. If we seek to love in the same way that God loves us, it will require a lifetime of loving those around us to carry out that to which we have been called. Love is a rare commodity – for the more we give, the more we discover we are filled and ready to pour out again and again. Every other sort of debt leaves us empty and lacking, yet love fills, restores, and propels us to pour out more. May we allow the only debt that we owe, be that of love to one another.

 

For we have been called, 

To fulfill a debt;

The space where love lacks,

Hope where it’s not yet.

Choose not to borrow,

What can’t be paid back;

Unless it is love,

For God can do that.

Never stop loving,

Each other by grace;

This fulfills the law,

To walk in God’s way.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You teach us the ways in which we are meant to live according to Your will. Thank You that the only thing we should owe one another is love. Thank You that as we seek to love one another according to Your will, You fill us and equip us to love as You love. Forgive us for not choosing to love like You, or for running up debts that we cannot repay. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would be wise in our ways and follow You all of our days. Show us how to love one another according to Your good and perfect will. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we opt to owe nothing to anyone except for love. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. – Ephesians 2:4-5