God
speaks in monumental ways. Sometimes his wisdom springs from the
mouth of babes, sometimes from prophets, and many times through those
He has called to shepherd his flock.
Today,
John Mark spoke again on the sermon on the mount, as we move through
our salt & light series. We focused on Matthew 5: 38-48 when the
law is discussed and Jesus' perfect interpretation is given.
The
center of the entire sermon was forgiveness, and how it is good to
love your enemy, forget about the transgression, move on, and abandon
yourself to the Father.
It
wasn't until we were going to take the time to pray for our enemies
that I realized something crazy about my life: I don't really have
any enemies.
Sure,
I have people that have hurt me, and those who I have probably hurt.
But
enemies? Nope, can't think of any.
Now,
if you would've asked me when I was in high school, the story may
have been different. But this is what God does! He creates a clean
heart that desires to know people and to LOVE people. A desire to
leave people with a sweet aroma of Jesus after you leave their
company. An honest desire to speak truth and love into people's
lives.
I know
that God has changed this in my life. He has removed my natural
instinct to perhaps not be nice, or to be callous towards others, and
replaced it with his desire to be peaceable with everyone.
Praise
God!
This
was such a simple realization, but so huge at the same time. I
realized that He freed, and has kept me free, of the bondage of
having an enemy, and the vast amount of energy that is consumed by
something like that.
However,
after realizing this...I thought about what upset me, and found out
that although they are not “my” enemies, per say, that there were
still some movements that I didn't believe were necessarily good.
And so I prayed, with a couple sisters, for Occupy Portland and for
what their wayward actions were doing. We prayed that they would
articulate their vision better, and would uphold the same respect for
our city and people as they are asking for themselves. And in all of
this, we remembered that when Jesus called us to pray for our
enemies, He wasn't calling us to pray that they get hurt, or that
they would be destroyed by God.
He
honestly desired that we would pray FOR them, and their well-being,
that we would pray LOVE and TRUTH into their lives.
And
so, I encourage you to do what God has taught me, and all of us
through today's message. Forgive your enemies, pray for your
enemies, and love your enemies.
And if
you're like me, and don't have any specific enemies by the grace of
God, find out what is bothering you in the world (like Occupy
Portland) has been for me, just because it's so close to home, and
pray for those people. Pray for their well-being, for their good,
and most importantly that they would come to know the Lord and the
plan He has for them.
Turn
people from enemies to children of God. He has called us all to do
that in any way we can. Let's hear, listen, and do.
In
Christ,
Lilia
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