Day 12 - Friday, October 23rd
LIFE Journal
This Week's Memory Verse
Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in His commands. Psalm 112:1
Devotional
Life is messy and complicated and if you live long enough, you’ll find relationships are too. You can probably think of someone with whom you aren’t on the best terms. Perhaps its the co-worker that rubs you the wrong way and makes every effort to make your workday miserable. Or maybe it is that family member from whom you are estranged or your relationship is strained. Maybe there is someone who has truly wronged you in a way that is seemingly unforgivable.
The world has a slew of bad advice for how to handle hard relational situations: revenge, slander, or just write the person off for good. Get even. Give them a taste of their own medicine. But Jesus had a different approach, one that we would rather ignore sometimes.
“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.” Matthew 5:43-48 NIV
This can be a tall order. When we’ve been hurt by someone, the last thing on our mind is how we can pray for them. Yet, Jesus says to pray for those who have treated us poorly, who annoy us or bother us non-stop. It’s easy to pray for those who we love and have a good relationship with. But, praying for those who have done something against us is hard. The hardest part is realizing that maybe the relationship won’t get mended, maybe reconciliation won’t happen, and perhaps God won’t change the situation, but instead change us.
Perfection, Jesus says, is the goal and that doesn’t mean we get it right every time. Perfection here means completion and maturity. How can you start praying for the ones you'd rather forget about and how can God use that to mature your faith?
Think On This Verse:
But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:27-36 NIV
Ask and Answer:
Is there a relationship that is strained or broken? Is there someone you consider an enemy or who has wronged you in a way you can’t quite seem to forgive? Is there someone who just annoys you to no end or who mistreats you constantly? How can you pray for that person? How can you bless that person? What is something kind you can do for them? DO IT! Pray consistently for that person and see how your heart changes, whether the relationship does or not.
The world has a slew of bad advice for how to handle hard relational situations: revenge, slander, or just write the person off for good. Get even. Give them a taste of their own medicine. But Jesus had a different approach, one that we would rather ignore sometimes.
“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.” Matthew 5:43-48 NIV
This can be a tall order. When we’ve been hurt by someone, the last thing on our mind is how we can pray for them. Yet, Jesus says to pray for those who have treated us poorly, who annoy us or bother us non-stop. It’s easy to pray for those who we love and have a good relationship with. But, praying for those who have done something against us is hard. The hardest part is realizing that maybe the relationship won’t get mended, maybe reconciliation won’t happen, and perhaps God won’t change the situation, but instead change us.
Perfection, Jesus says, is the goal and that doesn’t mean we get it right every time. Perfection here means completion and maturity. How can you start praying for the ones you'd rather forget about and how can God use that to mature your faith?
Think On This Verse:
But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:27-36 NIV
Ask and Answer:
Is there a relationship that is strained or broken? Is there someone you consider an enemy or who has wronged you in a way you can’t quite seem to forgive? Is there someone who just annoys you to no end or who mistreats you constantly? How can you pray for that person? How can you bless that person? What is something kind you can do for them? DO IT! Pray consistently for that person and see how your heart changes, whether the relationship does or not.
Prayer
Father God, I pray for ______________________. Our relationship is broken and I don’t feel love and kindness towards them because of what has happened in the past. Help me to pray for them consistently. Soften my heart and my attitudes towards them. Show me ways I can do good for them or bless them. Use this to mature my faith and make me more like you. Amen.