-Strength for Today- 'Where Do We Go from Here? - Luke 6:28.
As difficult as those words are, they’re Jesus’ answer to the “hate-filled rhetoric” that’s governing the minds of many people here in the United States of America. That’s not going to be easy, and at times will feel outrageous. But to make sense of that, we have to understand what Jesus meant by love. The love of Jesus isn’t “a sentimental” or “emotional love,” The love of Jesus demands accountability from those who would harm others, but it refuses to dehumanize anyone, even those we deem to be our enemies.
Jesus' way of love is “the way of sacrifice,” “the way of unselfishness,” “the way of selflessness, “that seeks the good of “others,” as well as of “self.” Here Jesus is expressing the “unconditional love of His Father,” that He would unselfishly display “on the cross.”
So, out of an “unselfish act” that satisfied the “rath of God” over 2000 years ago, Jesus’ commitment to righteousness shows us that as long as we’re on this side of heaven, there’s going to be “mountains of opposition,” to overcome. But in spite of them, His “implementing” act on the cross demanded that “justice at its best is love,” which corrects all the evil that “stands against the mutual love of God”- 1 John 4:7.
So, as we look at the “preponderance of evil” such as “hatred,” “murder” and out-right “violence;” I’m still convinced that “the most potent weapon available to mankind” amidst this “human evil struggle” is prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says that we’re to, “Pray without ceasing.” Which means that “our attitude must stay in a communicable mode with God.”
As Christians must realize that we’re in the midst of a “spiritual warfare,” and no amount of “government legislation” can alter that stance, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” - Ephesians 6:12.
So, where do we go from here? We must “praise God” in these times of warfare. And with “confidence” and “prayer” take our positions. We have to know “Whose we are,” and know “who we are in Christ.” If we don’t know who we are, we don’t know what we’ve been given!
1 Corinthians 13:7-8 says, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never end...” So, let’s not be afraid of our “foes,” and stay on course with the cause of love that Jesus demonstrated, “... for the battle is not ours, but God’s. Because to think that God, because of Jesus allows us into His combat unit, alone is an honor. Faith, and prayer are the instruments we must use in “spiritual warfare:
- Faith is “the evidence of fear being conquered,” and
- Prayer, at the very least, “keeps our spiritual sense sharp!”
Author: Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD