Love

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

Matthew 5:43-44 (ESV)

The law came through Moses, but grace and truth come through the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus raises the bar higher than Moses. Moses told us to love our neighbours; Jesus told us to love our enemies.

Anyone can love their neighbours, that's no big deal. To love our enemies however is divine. When He was crucified for our sins, Jesus prayed, 'Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they do'.

Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. He asks the impossible of us. Yet nothing is impossible for Him.

When we're persecuted, our good reaction is to try and defend ourselves and to strike back. Jesus calls us to pray for our persecutors. This takes much more strength than to simply lash out.

'Dear Lord, please help us to be defined by love, not just for our neighbours, but for our enemies too. For the honour of Your holy name, amen'.

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