March 16, 2012

Love your enemies?

Matthew 5:44
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

There is a whole list of people that we can put on our enemy list. It can range from those close to us and to others far away. It will include the driver that cut us off this morning. It may have our supervisor’s name on it. It could be the customer service rep who spoke to you rudely, it may be the police officer who was condescending. It can be a person of a different culture and color. It can be someone who lives across the ocean. Gosh, this list can be long and endless.

God tells us to take that list and make it our intercessory prayer list. Instead of wishing them harm, pray to God and ask Him to bless them. What? Ask God to bless the person/persons you hate? Yes, and the reason is because Jesus tells us that if we love only those who love us, what reward will we get? Anyone can do that, even our enemies, but if we are told to love them instead then we prove to this world we are His.

Loving our enemy is very hard to do. All of us know that. God knows that but He still asks us to do that, and to show us how to love even your enemy He sent us His Son. We were all enemies of God at one time. We lived our lives separated from Him and were just as happy as can be sinning. We were not looking for a savior so we didn’t even consider one. It is while we are still sinning that God comes to us and gives us His Son Jesus. God so loves us that He gives His only Son to save us from our sins. This is what loving your enemy looks like to God.

So the next time someone cuts you off in traffic, do as God asks and love them and pray for them. I have to admit this is very hard for me to do but it is something I have been working on during the Lenten season. We can give up all sorts of things for Lent, but if we don’t learn how to love one another and even love our enemies all the sacrifices won’t mean a thing.

Love and pray for your enemy.

Praying for You my God to help me forgive the owners of the dog that savagely attacked my grandson and asking Lord that You hold them accountable for their negligent behavior. This I pray in Jesus Name.