LOVE MY ENEMIES?

Psalm 35:13 But I, when they were sick -- I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. 14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.

The heart felt emotions above are actually quite unusual, and even unnatural to our inclinations, considering their context. Consider that the psalmist uttered these words on behalf of "those who fight against me", "my pursuers", those "who seek after my life", those who "hid their net for me", those who "dug a pit for my life", those "malicious witnesses" who "rise up", those who "repay me evil for good", those who "rejoiced and gathered" "at my stumbling", those who "gathered together against me", those "wretches" who "tore at me without ceasing, those who "gnash at me with their teeth", those who "hate me without a cause" those who "devise words of deceit".

In light of such affliction and hatred, from obvious enemies, would you respond the way the psalmist did? Would you be praying for them, afflicting your own self with fasting, grieving as if for a friend or brother, lamenting and mourning as if for your mother.

Seems quite unnatural indeed!

His cries and prayers were not all for their well being. He did ask God for judgment upon them. He asked God to contend for him. He even had plans on glorifying God once his enemies were judged. "Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation". But even despite these prayers he still cared for his enemies when they were sick.

We are living in times much like the psalmist. It is becoming increasingly obvious the hatred and affliction that Christians are receiving in our own country. Legislation promoted in this country continues to cut at biblical principles. Would you pray for the designers of such legislation, if they fell sick, as if they were your friend, brother, or even your mother?

Praying for God's Justice concerning our enemies is easy, but it seems to go against the grain of our human nature to pray for their well being.

Let us pray for God's Justice, but let us also heed the words of our Lord Jesus who said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Why? "So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven."

ARE YOU LOVED "TO THE END"?

John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

How interesting the phrase "he loved them to the end". Who did he love them? The verse says he "loved his own who were in the world". Who were his own? Those whom he had chosen. 

What end was he referring to?
The end he was referring to was obviously prophetic, since he had not yet "departed out of this world to the Father". "Loved them to the end" has at least four related views. 

First, a short term time frame. The end of his life in this world with his disciples. He would be going to his death very shortly. He had told them so on a number of occasions. His end in this world was imminent. So his love to the end was for his disciples with him at that moment.

Second, it extended to all who at that time had embraced him as their Savior during his lifetime. So again the end was very imminent.

Thirdly his love extended to all who would believe on him in all ages. For them the end would be when their lives were over or when he returns for them.

Fourthly and lastly "the end" refers to eternity. Eternity of course does not end. End, in this case, means that his love goes on and on. This may not at first make sense. But, if he meant end to mean end in the sense of ceasing, of being no more, then his love for those to whom he was speaking would have ceased as soon as he went to the Father.

Look at it this way, If I have eternal life and he loves me to the end, does this mean that at some point in "time" eternal life ends? How absurd!

I rejoice in this, "He loved"(loves) me "to the end. On what do I base this - on the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ
(see John 3:16; Romans 1:16; Romans 5:6-11; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5).

Is it true for you? Do you know that he loves you to the end?