Loving Our Enemy

Thanks for joining me for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Tim Gustafson wrote today's reading, and he titled it, Loving Our Enemy. During World War II, U.S. Navy medical corpsman Lynn Weston went ashore with the Marines as they stormed enemy-held islands. Inevitably, there were gruesome casualties. He did his best to patch up wounded combatants for evacuation. On one occasion, his unit encountered an enemy soldier with a bad abdominal wound. Due to the nature of the injury, the man couldn't be given water. To keep him alive, Petty Officer Weston administered intravenous plasma. Save that plasma for our fellas, Swaby, bellowed one of the Marines.

Petty Officer Weston ignored him. He knew what Jesus would do. Love your enemies. Jesus did far more than speak those challenging words. He lived them. In Luke chapter 22, when a hostile mob seized him and took him to the high priest, the men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. The abuse continued all the way through his shame trials and execution. Jesus didn't merely endure it. When Roman soldiers crucified him, he prayed for their forgiveness. We may not encounter a literal enemy who's trying to kill us, but everyone knows what it's like to endure ridicule and scorn.

Our natural reaction is to respond in anger. Jesus raised the bar, saying in Matthew chapter 5, Pray for those who persecute you. Today, let's walk in that kind of love, showing kindness as Jesus did, even to our enemies.

The scripture reading for today's devotional is Luke chapter 22 verses 63 through 65 and chapter 23 verses 32 through 38. The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, Prophesy who hit you. And they said many other insulting things to him.

And now picking up at chapter 23 verse 32. Two other men, both criminals, were also let out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left.

Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, He saved others. Let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the chosen one. The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.

There was a written notice above him which read, This is the king of the Jews. Would you spend some time in prayer with me? Dear Heavenly Father, We are filled with awe by your boundless love and forgiveness, even towards those who persecuted and crucified you. Grant us the strength to love our enemies as you commanded, that we may reflect your grace and transform hearts through our actions. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. I'm Stephen Tabor, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.