“And I say to you: Love your enemies.” — Matthew 5:44
“I know what they’re saying. And I’m telling you…” As a child, I heard this phrase from my mother a thousand times. The context has always been peer pressure. She tried to teach me not to follow the crowd. I am no longer a boy, but the desire to follow the crowd still appears. The current example is the following phrase: “Surround yourself only with positive people.” And here we should ask the question: “Does this agree with the teachings of Jesus Christ?”
“And I say to you…” The Lord Jesus repeatedly uses this introductory phrase in the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. He is well aware of what the world is constantly telling us about. However, He wants us to live differently. For example, Jesus says: “Love your enemies… and pray for those who persecute you” (v. 44). Later, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul also uses this word. Who do you think? That’s right, about us. “We, being enemies… with God” (Rom. 5:10). Jesus did what he said. He loved us and gave His life for us.
Imagine if Christ surrounded Himself only with “positive people”. Would we be with Him? Praise be to God, His love respects no face. God loved the whole world, and we are called to follow His example with His help.
When was the last time someone showed you love even in spite of your non-“positivity”? How can you show love to your enemy today?
Heavenly Father, I tend to surround myself only with those who love me. However, this is not exactly the way of life to which You are calling me. Help me to love even my enemies.
“Thus says the Lord God: Repent, and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations!” — Ezekiel 14:6
“Do you see that, Brother Tim?” A friend of mine, a Ghanaian pastor, shined a torch on a carved object standing near the dugout. “This is the idol of the village,” he said quietly. Pastor Sam came to this remote village every Tuesday night to teach the Bible to the residents.
In the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, it is shown how idolatry had a harmful effect on the Jewish people. When the Jerusalem leaders came to the prophet Ezekiel, God told him: “These men have allowed their gods into their hearts” (Ezek. 14:3). God did not only warn against idols carved out of wood and stone. He showed that idolatry is a problem of the heart. We all face it.
Bible teacher Alistair Begg calls an idol “anything other than God that we consider important to our peace, contentment, or acceptance.” Even good things can become idols for us. If we look for comfort and a sense of dignity in something other than the living God, then we resort to idolatry.
God called: “Repent, and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations!” (v. 6). Israel proved unable to do so. Fortunately, God had a solution. While waiting for the coming of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, He promised: “I will give you a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezek. 36:26). We will not do it ourselves.
Where do you look for comfort in times of stress? What might you need to turn away from?
Heavenly Father, show me the idols in my heart. Help me destroy them and live in Your love.
While in a small West African town, my American pastor arrived on time for the 10 a.m. Sunday service. However, there was no one in the church hall. He decided to wait. One hour. Two. Finally, around half past one in the morning, the local pastor arrived at the church, followed by choristers and other townspeople, and the service began “in the fullness of time,” as my pastor put it. “The Spirit greeted us, and God was not late.” The local culture was different from my pastor’s American culture.
Time seems relative, but God is perfect and never late. Lazarus fell ill and died, but Jesus arrived only four days after his death. Lazarus’ sisters did not understand why He did this. “And Martha said to Jesus: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21). We may feel the same way, wondering why God is taking so long to solve our problems. Instead, it is better to wait with faith for His answers and the manifestation of His power.
Theologian Howard Thurman wrote, “We wait, Father, for a part of Your strength to become our strength, for a part of Your heart to become our heart, for a part of Your forgiveness to become our forgiveness. We wait, God, we wait.” And then, when God answers, we, like Lazarus, will miraculously receive the blessing of what was not really a delay.
What action or provision do you expect from God right now? How to expect with faith?
Father, I am waiting for You. Give me Your strength and faithful hope in my waiting.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for the truth, for they will be fed.” — Matthew 5:6
The gruesome assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. occurred at the height of the American civil rights movement in the 1960s. However, only four days later, his widow, Coretta Scott King, bravely led a peaceful protest march in his place. Coretta was a staunch defender of justice and was a well-known activist.
The Lord Jesus said: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for the truth, for they will be fed” (Mt. 5:6). One day God will come to do justice and restore justice, and in the meantime we have the opportunity to participate in spreading God’s justice on earth, as Coretta did. In the 58th chapter of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, a vivid picture is drawn of what God calls His people to do: “Untie the shackles of ungodliness… let the oppressed go free… break bread to the hungry… bring the destitute into the house… cover the [naked]… and do not hide from [those who need help]” (vv. 6-7). Seeking justice for the oppressed and disadvantaged is one way to show God. The prophet Isaiah writes that the people who seek justice are like the morning dawn; the result is healing for the people (v. 8).
May God cause a famine for His truth on earth. The Bible says that if we seek God’s justice, we will be satisfied.
What kind of injustice catches your attention? What can be done to restore justice?
God, fill me with the desire for justice. Help me to participate in Your work to establish justice.
“I will rejoice in the Lord… I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!” — Habakkuk 3:18
Monika fervently prayed that her son would return to God. She cried because of his unholy way of life and even searched for him in the different cities where he chose to live. The situation seemed hopeless. However, one day it happened: her son experienced a meeting with God. And he became one of the most famous theologians of the church. We know him as Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.
“Until… Lord?” (Hab. 1:2). The prophet Habakkuk wept because of God’s inaction regarding those in power who perverted justice (v. 4). Remember the times when we turned to God in despair, expressing our cry because of injustice, because of the ineffectiveness of treatment, because of financial difficulties, because of children who have strayed from God.
God heard Habakkuk’s cry every time he cried. Waiting with faith for God’s answer, we can follow the example of the prophet, who turned his weeping into praise, saying: “I will rejoice in the Lord … I will rejoice in the God of my salvation” (Hab. 3:18). He did not understand God’s ways, but he trusted Him. Both crying and praise are manifestations of faith and trust. We cry to God on the basis of His character, and our praise to Him is based on Who He is—a wonderful, almighty God. And one day, thanks to His grace, any crying will turn into praise.
What is your cry today? How can it turn into praise?
Dear Jesus, remind me who You are and what You have done in my life.
“Lord, deliver my soul from a lying lip, from a treacherous tongue!” — Psalm 119:2
“The Christian consciousness begins with the painful realization that what we believed to be the truth turned out to be a lie,” wrote Eugene Peterson in his profound reflections on Psalm 119. This psalm is the first of the “songs of the pilgrims” (Ps. 119-133) that the pilgrims sang on the way to Jerusalem. As Peterson points out in the book Enduring Obedience in One Direction, these psalms also depict a spiritual journey to God.
This journey can only begin with a deep awareness of one’s own need for something else. Peterson says, “A man must feel a complete abhorrence of the present state of things in order to find the motivation to follow the Christian path. . . . [Man] must have his fill of the world of sin before he can feel an appetite for the world of grace.”
The sinfulness and despair we see in the world around us can be easily discouraging, and our culture often shows a callous disregard for harm done to other people. Psalm 119 frankly says: “I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!” (v. 7).
At the same time, the realization that our pain can awaken us to a new beginning provides healing and freedom. This is possible only because of the Savior, who can help us leave harmful deception and lead us to the paths of peace and wholeness (Ps. 120:2). So, as we begin this new year, let us seek God and His ways!
How did you get used to bad ways? How does the Gospel call you to the ways of peace?
Loving God, help me to strive for Your ways of peace and help them spread in the power of Your Spirit.
“For I myself would like to be separated from Christ instead of my brothers, my relatives in the flesh.” — Romans 9:3
“People stood up to the most powerful monarchs and refused to bow to them,” noted the philosopher and author Hannah Arendt (1906–1975). “However, there are few,” she added, “who can really stand up to the crowd and stand up unarmed against the misguided masses and their stupidity.” As a Jew, Arendt saw this firsthand in her native Germany. It’s scary to be rejected by the community.
The apostle Paul suffered such neglect. He was a trained Pharisee and rabbi, but after meeting the resurrected Jesus, his life changed radically. Paul was on his way to Damascus to persecute believers in Christ (Acts 9). After his conversion, the apostle was rejected by his own people. In his Second Letter to the Corinthians, Paul talked about the troubles that his compatriots caused him, in particular because of them he suffered “beats” and was “in prisons” (2 Cor. 6:5).
At the same time, Paul did not show anger or bitterness because of such neglect, but wanted them to know the Lord Jesus as well. He wrote: “I have great sorrow and unceasing torment for my heart! For I myself would like to be separated from Christ instead of my brothers, who are related to me in the flesh” (Rom. 9:2-3).
God has welcomed us into His family, and may He also help us to invite even our enemies into a relationship with Him.
How did you react to being excluded from the community? Why is it so difficult to realize one’s exclusion?
Loving God, help me, despite the pain and disappointment, to care about those who have neglected me, and to point them to You and to the possibility of being in Your Kingdom.
“Do not weep! Here is the Lion who from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has won.” — Revelation 5:5
For more than six decades, news reporter Paul Harvey has been a familiar voice on American radio. Six days a week, he spoke in a colorful voice: “You know the news, and in a minute you will hear the rest of the story.” After a short commercial, he told a little-known story about a very famous personality. Keeping the person’s name or other important ingredient a secret until the very end, he captivated listeners with his distinct pause and catchphrase: “And now you know… the rest of the story.”
The apostle John saw a vision of the past and the future, which is revealed with a similar promise. At the same time, his story begins on a sad note. He was overcome with unceasing sobs when he saw that no creature in heaven or on earth could explain where history was going (Rev. 4:1; 5:1-4). However, then he heard a voice that gave hope to “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (v. 5). When Ivan lowered his gaze, he saw not a victorious lion, but a slain Lamb (vv. 5-6). The unusual sight was complemented by waves of worship around God’s throne. An innumerable number of angels joined the worship of the twenty-four elders in three choirs, and then all heaven and all earth (vv. 8-14).
Who could have imagined that the crucified Savior would become the hope for the whole world, the glory of God and the finale of our history.
What fears and sorrows do you need hope in Jesus to overcome? How does meditating on the images of the victorious Lion and the sacrificial Lamb help you in your worship of Jesus?
Almighty God, You are worthy of all power, glory and love.
“My God sent His Angel and closed the mouths of the lions.” — Daniel 6:23
After believing in Jesus, Taher and his wife, Donya, knew that they could face persecution in their country. Indeed, one day Thacher was arrested blindfolded and handcuffed and accused of apostasy. Even before the court session, he and Doña decided that they would not deny Jesus.
What happened during the announcement of the verdict shocked Taher. The judge said, “I don’t know why, but I want to get you out of the mouth of the lion and the whale.” Taher “understood that God was acting”; otherwise he could not explain the judge’s reference to two passages of the Bible (see Jonah 2; Dan. 6). Taher was released from prison and the family later moved to a safer place.
Taher’s surprising release is reminiscent of Daniel’s story. He was a talented leader and was to be promoted, which filled his colleagues with envy (Dan. 6:4-6). Conspiring against Daniel, they persuaded King Darius to issue a decree forbidding the people to pray to anyone but the king. Daniel ignored this decree, and King Darius had to throw him to the lions (v. 17). However, God “saved Daniel” from death (v. 28), just as He saved Taher through the miraculous decision of the judge.
Many Christians still suffer for their faith, and sometimes they are even killed. After experiencing persecution, we can deepen our faith, realizing that God has ways of salvation that we do not even imagine. Know that whatever the battles, He is with you.
What is your reaction to the story about the rescue of Taher and Donya? How to rely on God’s omnipotence?
God, help me trust You when obstacles seem insurmountable.
