“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” (Romans 12:9, ESV) Genuine love is not fake or feigned – it seeks what is truly best for the one loved – love for God where I have nothing between me and God – love for my neighbor where I truly live toward them in a way that seeks their highest good in every circumstance. This is not a hypocritical love but a real genuine Christ centered love – loving sacrificially. A sure sign of genuine love is to hate what is evil. Evil is darkness and the love of Christ is light – those two have no common ground. God has commanded me to hate what is evil and so I am to follow God’s command and give no place in my mind or life for evil to rest. Holding fast to the good. Jesus said “Why do you call me good, no one is good but God alone.” (Matthew 10:18). When we cling to God we cling to good – when we hold tightly to the light we are not fellow shipping with the darkness. Lord, help me to love genuinely, hate evil, and hold fast to you. Amen
