A Prayer

I read a passage in Romans the other day that really made me think of one particular overarching theme.  I'll explain what I mean later, but first I want to share that passage with you:

"Let love be genuine.  Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  Never be conceited.  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'  To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.'  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."        ~ Romans 12:9-21

I know that's a long passage, much longer than most people would quote when trying to get a point across, but I feel led to share this.  When I read this I felt like it was a prayer.  I know it's probably taking too much license with the meaning of the passage - all the Bible scholars out there can just take a breather for a minute - but it just reads to me like a prayer that Paul is praying over the Christians in Rome.

I imagine him writing his letter and talking about the remnant of Israel and being living sacrifices and then, for no reason other that the Lord led him to do so, feeling the need to pray over the people reading his letter.  I imagine him overwhelmed with desire to see these Christians living in such a way that it stands out as different, unique - completely loving above and beyond anything that was ever expected of them.

As I was thinking about all of that, I became more than convicted.  I felt a stirring in my heart that as I shared this passage I would not just limit myself to words I can put together, that I wouldn't be hindered by anything I would try to say.  Rather, I felt the Lord moving in my heart to simply pray this passage over anyone who reads this post and everyone else that I know.  And so, with all the love that is in me, I am doing that.  Even as I type this, I'm praying for you.  I'm praying that you will:

...love genuinely.
...outdo one another in showing honor.
...rejoice in hope.
...be constant in prayer.
...bless your persecutors.
...live in harmony.
...never avenge yourselves.
...take care of your enemies.

Most importantly, I'm praying that you wouldn't see this passage as another list of things to do (and which in your own strength you can never do), but that you would hear the words of Paul and be called to live a lifestyle like he describes.  Imagine what our world would look like if we just did that.