Love Your Enemy (1)
Friday February 17, 2017
Jesus gave us very clear instructions about loving our enemies and doing good to those who despitefully use us. Many of us got tangled in addiction because we didn’t know what to do with people who didn’t treat us as they should have. To recover life as God intended, we need to learn what to do with these relationships.
Jesus was despised, physically abused, and rejected more than any other man and yet from the cross He asked His Father to forgive those who had acted unjustly towards Him. Jesus stayed on the cross and died for the sins of the whole world. The challenge for us, in our life with God in recovery, is to offer forgiveness to our enemies just as Jesus does.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48 NIV)
Regardless of what has happened to us, as followers of Jesus we are instructed to love our enemies. Why should we forgive them? It seems so wrong to us. We do it because unforgiveness eats away at our soul. Our enemies still have to account to God for what they’ve done. He knows how to best deal with injustice. It’s time to release them into God’s hands.
I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! I said to myself, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.” (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 NLT)
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it’s hard to love those who have harmed us. Please work in our hearts today and help us to release our unforgiveness and those who have harmed us to You. AMEN
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