Deeper Reflection
First and foremost for Christians, our genuine love is to be directed towards God. Such love for God is expressed in our service to the Lord. The word translated as “serve” (v.11; Greek douleuō) literally means “to stand in the relationship of a slave”⁷. As slaves to the Lord our Master, we can only show genuine love towards God if our service is fueled by zeal and fervency in spirit. Because our service to God is to be a lifelong commitment, if it is merely powered by human eagerness and enthusiasm, then “losing steam” is only natural and to be expected, and deterioration to sloth and complacency only a matter of time. Paul’s reference to fervency “in spirit” is almost certainly a reminder to us to rely on the Holy Spirit.⁸ He is the true source of God-given zeal and fervency, and ultimately enables our lifelong, loving service to God.Such love for God is also expressed in our steadfastness in the Lord. Being “joyful in hope, patient in tribulation and faithful in prayer” (v.12, NIV) all demonstrate an unwavering steadfastness in our faith in the Lord. And “at the heart of this triplet is…hope, namely our confident Christian expectation of the Lord’s return and the glory to follow. It is to us the source of abiding joy. But it also calls for patience, as meanwhile we endure tribulation and persevere in prayer”⁹.Christians are called to love God by way of zealous and fervent service to Him, and joyful, patient and faithful steadfastness in Him. When we do this together as a church, we are loving God together. 

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⁷ Karl Heinrich Rengstorf, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 261 ⁸ Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 778 ⁹ John R. W. Stott, The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 332.