Matthew 5:43-44 "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.
I must confess, I’m finding it
extremely difficult to love those ISIS people who have killed many Christians,
as well as beheading American James Foley this week. I can’t understand what
drives so much hatred in religious people that they would commit such barbarous
and inhumane acts. My first reaction is to get really frustrated and angry with
these people, and I want the US government to do everything it can to annihilate
them. It is so unjust and it is so wicked that my initial response is to call
for an outright war of destruction.
Christ’s words from this morning’s
Bible passage (Matthew 5:38-48) hit me
with a theological 2x4. I am guilty of the same religious self-righteousness
and hatred in my heart that these people embrace and espouse. I am not any
better or less sinful than them because I want to see them mercilessly killed.
I am a Crusader Christian baying and battling for blood instead of praying for
my enemies.
I am wrestling with my Redeemer
between what I want and what He says. I know that He speaks the Truth and I am
guilty of fighting against Him. If I call Him my Savior, then I need to ask Him
to save me from myself. If I address Him as Lord, then I need to do as He
pleases and commands.
So this morning, I’m praying for my
enemies. I’m praying for their forgiveness. I’m praying for God to be merciful
to them by allowing His Holy Spirit to change their hearts and afflict their
souls. I’m asking Jesus to help me to pray because I still don’t want to do
this, but if I honestly want to continue to call myself a Christian, I need to
keep praying instead of condemning; I need to ask for love to prevail instead
of power; I need to learn to love my enemies, instead of looking for ways to
destroy them.
Questions for personal reflection
Why does Jesus
make it so hard for people to follow and live by what He has spoken? Where is
He confronting me in my life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You never said that faith
in You was going to be easy, and You have never asked us to do anything that
wasn’t important. Forgive us for feeling hatred in our hearts and looking for
vengeance in our lives. Teach us again Your loving words and help us to embrace
them. Be with the ISIS people, forgive them, and show them the ways of Your
love to overcome their hatred and fear. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray.
Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you
would like to comment on today’s message or ask any questions, please send him
an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is one of John’s ‘Seven Last Words of Christ’ drawings called “Father,
Forgive Them.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the
following link: Forgive
Them.
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