Dear Lord God, we come before You in worship and praise, for You are the orchestrator of Your creation. Be with us as we spend time with You, and guide us to what You want to show us.
Don’t you just love how John calls his readers “dear children”? His kindness oozes out of his words, even as he calls them to live in obedience to Christ. He brings us back to the basic commandment. After loving God, loving others comes next. One way we can see if we are walking in His light is to ask ourselves how we’re doing at loving others. Sometimes the answer to that question can make us squirm. Big time. It’s very hard to love an enemy. When someone has betrayed you or hurt someone you love or abused you in some deep way … love is not a natural response. Sadly, hatred, resentment, revenge, and bitterness “feel” more right at first. However, that is not the way of a Christ follower. We are to love the unlovely. Remember this, though. God’s kind of love never excuses evil. Ever. He hates evil. But His desire is for all to be freed from the devil’s chains and to become new creations, humbled and grateful and sorrowful for their sins. We can love like that. May God help us, and may our enemies repent and be saved!
My verse: 1 John 2:11 “But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.”
My response: Lord, I am struck by a new thought here. Hatred blinds us! When we give way to painting an enemy completely evil, like a villain in a superhero movie, we don’t see them as humans trapped in sin anymore. We see them like a cartoon bad guy, without a soul. Help me, Lord, to remember that all humans have a soul and need You. Many are chained by past choices that have hardened their hearts. Some have even given way to evil spirits and are now controlled by them. But none of them are beyond Your power to change them. Give me grace to pray for even the worst, that they will repent before it is too late. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
What’s next?
As the Spirit leads, share what He has laid on your heart in the comment section below. Then join us again tomorrow for the next commentary.
