Dear People of Grace,
When we think of Jesus, we often think – “God-man” who saved us from sin and death through His death on the cross and resurrection to new life. We like much what He says – especially the forgiveness and eternal life parts. But Jesus also has some hard things to hear. Perhaps the hardest for us who live with the unholy trinity of “me, myself, and I” is …
“But I say to you … ‘Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.’” (Luke 6:27-28). When God’s word calls us to “love,” this is what He’s calling us to do. That’s some hard teaching, isn’t it? But think about this one …
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Sin, our disobedience, makes us God’s enemies. It makes us people who, in some small way, hate Him because we hate His word enough to disobey it. It makes us people who, in some small way, curse Him as we use His name to carelessly curse others. It makes us people who, in some small way, abuse Him because we abuse His infinite grace by receiving His forgiveness and then going straight into the world to disobey again. And what does God do …
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9) – not once, or a few times, but every time. God’s infinite love, perfect grace, and unlimited patience waits for the Holy Spirit to slowly reshape us back into “the image of God” and His perfect love while also leading us to live more fully in accord with Jesus’ teachings. Let us all pray – ask God to help us grow into this love that we can love our enemies, do good to our haters, bless those who curse us, and pray for our abusers.
In God’s Grace,
Pastor Jim