Love Your Enemies
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, it is so easy to love my neighbor and hate my enemy. Help me to learn how to also love my enemy. Amen
“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,”
REFLECT:
Over the past year I have been reading books distributed by Voice of the Martyrs that illustrate this Scripture in a mighty way. Each of the books tells how the Lord guided the individuals through the tortuous experience of being persecuted for their Christian faith. Each reached a point that they could pray for their captors. I will highlight some of Richard Wurmbrand’s, founder of Voice of the Martyrs, experiences.
Richard was born a Jew and became an atheist as an adult. Prior to WWII he developed tuberculosis and while in the sanitarium he was exposed to Christ and eventually became a Christian. He was a protestant pastor during the war and both he and his wife experienced beatings.
After the war his next-door neighbor, who was a Christian, mentioned he had a former German soldier living with him. Richard visited the neighbor and met the soldier who bragged about the atrocities he did during the war. Richard told him there’s a woman next door you need to meet. Her Jewish parents and siblings were murdered in the city where you were committing the atrocities you mentioned. The former soldier was afraid because of what she might do to him. Richard said don’t worry because she will give you a hug and welcome you into our home. The soldier asked how she could do that? Richard responded that she is a follower of Christ and models his love and forgiveness. Eventually they led the soldier to Christ.
There are many more stories like this in his Book, Wurmbrand-Tortured for Christ. Both he and Sabina, his wife, suffered much at the hands of Romanian Communists. They exhibited this same forgiving attitude toward their torturers. They modeled Luke 6:22-23, “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day and leap for joy.” The Wurmbrands did just that all the time they were imprisoned and tortured for Christ.
APPLY:
Currently, many in this country are being called to stand up for their faith and suffer consequences for it. If you should find yourself in that situation, remember Matthew 5:33-34 and Luke 6:22-23 and put them into action.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord, help me to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me, Amen
WORSHIP: