June 16
2 Kings 5:1-8:15
What does it mean to love your enemy? We may think of this idea as something only spoken of by Jesus, when it is modeled for us even in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 5, an unnamed, kidnapped Israelite girl tells her mistress healing is available to her master in Israel. She tells the man, who is responsible for separating her from her family, culture, and land, he can be healed from his leprosy. She is not focused on revenge or on seeing the downfall of her master, she is not praying for his death; rather she is seeking his good.
This same heart of loving all people should be evident in our lives as well. We have experienced the grace and power of God (even amid evil, heartbreak, and trauma), so we should express God's love as we seek the good of others. As sinful humans, it is difficult to seek the good of those who have hurt us. Jesus was hurt in the most heinous way imaginable upon the cross, and yet he still asked for forgiveness for his tormentors, saying “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Since God has forgiven us for our sins against Him and his children, we have a responsibility to pay that grace forward and lovingly share the good news with those God has placed in our lives.
Father God, thank you for your amazing love that led you to send Jesus to die for my sins while I was your enemy. Help me to love others, especially those who are hard to love, and help me seek their good. Amen.
What keeps you from more intentionally loving those who are hard to love?
What does it mean to love your enemy? We may think of this idea as something only spoken of by Jesus, when it is modeled for us even in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 5, an unnamed, kidnapped Israelite girl tells her mistress healing is available to her master in Israel. She tells the man, who is responsible for separating her from her family, culture, and land, he can be healed from his leprosy. She is not focused on revenge or on seeing the downfall of her master, she is not praying for his death; rather she is seeking his good.
This same heart of loving all people should be evident in our lives as well. We have experienced the grace and power of God (even amid evil, heartbreak, and trauma), so we should express God's love as we seek the good of others. As sinful humans, it is difficult to seek the good of those who have hurt us. Jesus was hurt in the most heinous way imaginable upon the cross, and yet he still asked for forgiveness for his tormentors, saying “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Since God has forgiven us for our sins against Him and his children, we have a responsibility to pay that grace forward and lovingly share the good news with those God has placed in our lives.
Father God, thank you for your amazing love that led you to send Jesus to die for my sins while I was your enemy. Help me to love others, especially those who are hard to love, and help me seek their good. Amen.
What keeps you from more intentionally loving those who are hard to love?
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