Luke 6:27-28 & 36 (NLT)
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you…..36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you…..36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Father
this is something I really need help with. It is certainly beyond my own human
ability or inclination to treat the enemies of humanity in this way. I shudder at
the thought of showing any mercy toward those who violently victimize the
innocent to the extermination of all who would oppose their evil genocidal
intentions.
Father I need to remember that you are not only a
God of loving compassion but also Holy Judgment as Paul so clearly wrote in Romans 12:19-21 (NLT) “ Dear
friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the
Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. 20
Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty,
give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of
shame on their heads.” 2 1Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer
evil by doing good.”
Father
for those who oppose You and all that is righteous “There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging
fire that will consume his enemies. Hebrews 10:27 (NLT) Indeed Father as the Scripture boldly says: “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the
living God. Hebrews 10:31 (NLT)
So
Father I pray for the conversion of the enemies that are so fierce in their hostility
to you and the world You created and love. May they somehow perceive the evil
of their ways, the mercy of God that is available for all and turn from their sinful
hatred to Christ alone who is the only Savior and yes died even for them. Father
your grace is unlimited and your judgement unrelenting and eternal. I pray they
will choose grace.
And
I ask this Father in the Name of Jesus who changed Saul of Tarsus from an agent
of hate to an instrument of grace.
Amen
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AS you mentioned to me....this could be a sermon. I love the truth of it....but it's hard to put into practice. Only the grace of God.
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