Good morning! Today is the perfect day to love others. It’s the perfect day to be kind. And even a good day to pray for those who may have or continue to persecute you. The situation may not change immediately, but the Lord can change our heart toward a person and help us to see things His way. These verses are relevant for me today… Enjoy today’s verses and your day.

BIBLE VERSE – Matthew 5:43-48 NLT
“43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ [Leviticus 19:18] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

REFLECTION
To provide further context, in the Old Testament, Leviticus 19:18 reads, “18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

Jesus pointed this out because the Pharisees taught to love those who near and dear to them and hate those who were enemies to Israel. The Pharisees implied their hatred was God’s way of judging Israel’s enemies. However, Jesus wanted to clarify what it meant.

In the verses we read in Matthew 5, Jesus once again clarified God’s word and challenged the people of Israel and all God’s children to demonstrate His love to all people – even our enemies. For example, the sun rises on them and He sends the rain which produces everyone’s crops – this is an extension of His love for everyone not just Israel. He challenged Israel, just like He challenges everyone on this earth, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, status, gender, genetics, or background to show love which demonstrates that we are God’s sons and daughters. If we only love those who are like us then we are no greater than those who are bias and bigots, or in scripture no more than tax collectors and pagans, which was offensive to the Pharisees.

Perfection is something that we will not full obtain until we get to heaven, but everyday we should be transforming or maturing in our faith, being shaped more to Christ’s likeness than the world’s. Since hate, murder, deception/lies, retaliation, and lust do not describe God’s character – we should not let it describe ours either.

While you ponder over the verses we read today, who do you need to pray for today? ________

And while we are not perfect, God is calling us to be more like Him. Allow God to perfect you in all your ways, especially when we pray for our enemies.

PRAYER
Father God, thank you for your Words that teach us.  Lord God, thank you for guiding us through the things that are important to you. Lord, direct our thoughts and keep our hearts soft so that we can be used by you. Lord, keep pressing into our heart, removing all bitterness and pain from it. Lord, teach us to love like you love. Open up our hearts to be more receptive to you and your instructions. Lord, help us to pray for those who desire to harm us or maliciously try to destroy us with words, fear, actions, etc. Lord, help us to pray for everyone not just those we love. Lord, help us to love like you. In Jesus name, amen!

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