When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket."
What follows true conversion is the fruit of true conversion (James 2:18). One of these fruits in a Christian's life is the love for our enemies.
Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Matthew 5:44
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
I have to tell you friends, I find that this commandment is probably one of the hardest to follow. If it were up to us to willfully love our enemies, I think we would all ultimately fail.
I, personally, have been going through rough patches with a person that I hate sometimes and love at other times. When I reflect on how I could spread the gospel to that person, I imagine myself being compassionate and loving. But when the right buttons are pushed, we get into arguments that escalate into all-out yelling matches. It is at that moment, when God shows me my utter lack of self-control, that I break down and repent because I have failed to live up to the gospel.
It is then that I am reminded about the last post, "God gives new strength to use". And instead of being riddled with anger, guilt and grief, I'm reminded of the cross. I'm reminded that Jesus Christ was a real person that bore the pain of being tortured and laughed at. What emotions were going through his mind and heart?
How did he bear the pain of having the people he came to save nail him to the cross? Did he feel anger towards his enemies? Did he not grieve for his coming loss?
He didn't have to go to the cross... but he did.
Don't you see friends? We were his enemies, we were the ones that turned away from him. But he called us back into his saving grace. And now we can follow him and do the same...
This is what we confess.
This is what we proclaim.
This is where we find our strength.
All glory be to God.
This is what we proclaim.
This is where we find our strength.
All glory be to God.
Tomorrow: True Conversion Produces A New... Family to Join.
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