Sunday, October 21
Matthew 5:43-48
“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.
Devotional:
How can I pray more? That is often the first thought when I am considering how I can be closer to God. It is an important question and, honestly, it stretches me to find ways that I can spend more time in prayer. Today the question is different. Be prepared to be stretched past the point of comfort, past the point of understanding, and maybe even past the point of agreement. The question is, “Who can I be praying for?” and here is the stretch: family, friends, and other loved ones are off the table for today. Jesus tells us that anyone can pray for those they love. Today I want you to pray for someone you have difficulty loving, someone that you would describe as your enemy, someone who has hurt you. When praying for our enemies, we are being like our Heavenly Father, who loved us while we were His enemies. He allows the sun and rain to benefit both those who love Him and those who reject Him. He desires that every person would come into relationship with Him.
Are you ready to be stretched? Who has hurt you? Will you pray for them? Will you pray that God will bless them and meet a specific need in their life? Will you pray that if they have not yet come to know Christ as their Savior, that they would? Pray these prayers, with expectation that God will answer them.
Pastor Rob