March 13

Day 274: God Loves His Enemies

Our Bibles talk a lot about "enemies." The word appears so many times, the listings of this one word take up almost an entire page of my "Exhaustive Concordance." (I got exhausted trying to add it all up!)

There are references to enemies without. Contrasted with references to enemies within. Even enemies within one's own household are mentioned (Matthew 10:36.) God even promised His Son He would put all of His Son's enemies under His feet.

It hits me as particularly strange how David, now king of Israel responds to the deaths of his enemies. 2 Samuel begins with a lot of revenge killings. And how David chooses to respond.

He actually mourns their loss. Several times calling them "God's anointed." Thus, while he didn't mourn their character or deeds against him (who would?), he grieves over the loss of life related to the position that person held.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says something in keeping with David's responses to the deaths of his enemies. And this may be one of the most difficult commands we ever received from the Lord.

In Matthew 5, Jesus actually said, "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

He contrasts this with what He had said one verse earlier. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'"

In saying this, He clarified the difference between culture's response and that of the godly. I can only imagine how the people who first heard this thought it to be confusing, counter-intuitive, and perhaps nonsensical.

Our present culture loves watching the powerful fall. Impeachment, recalls, voting scandals and the documented downfall of celebrities gathers our attention. And our glee.

We even find a sick pleasure in seeing big name pastors fail. It's been said that Americans (and American Christians) are adept at building someone up, and then equally adept in tearing them down.

But Jesus wants His people to be counter-cultural. He tells us to "love our enemies." And I will tell you from personal experience, that's a hard one to follow. My own history is dotted with enemies. And I can recall almost all of them.

It may be that Jesus knew we needed a starting point, so He also said, "Pray for those who persecute you." Not praying against our enemies, but pray for them.

But even that seems impossible. I don't want to do that. So how can I? Only by looking at how God responded and responds to His enemies.

Romans 5:10 tells us, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."

Jesus loved us, to the extent He died and then rose again, to reconcile God's enemies to God. I am a former enemy of God, who He now calls His adopted son. That is grace.

Jesus wanted His followers (and we who follow now) to emulate and reflect our heavenly Father. He who loves His enemies.

It may seem impossible to love our own enemies. Our enemy be it a person, or an entire political party, or even a foreign nation. Even or own nation.

But we can perhaps start doing so by purposefully praying for those who persecute us. It is hard to do so, no doubt. But it is the beginning step Jesus commanded.

Only possible when we reconsider how God loves His enemies.