A Piece of the Prayer Pie for Those Who Persecute You
In continuing the sermons about prayer, Pastor Henry talked about how Jesus taught us to pray for those who persecute us. We read from Matthew 5:43-48 and especially the part that says, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."Why should we do this? We should because this is what God has done for us. God sends grace like rain on the righteous and unrighteous alike, and we should do as He does. And this is what sets us apart as sons of our Father in Heaven.
The text ends with the verse, "Be perfect therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect." Pastor Henry told us that perfect here is used in the sense of being whole or complete. We should be whole or complete in the same way as how God pours out love on all people - by loving friend and enemy. This verse in The Message says, "You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."
Is God calling you to pray for anyone who has persecute you or wronged you in the past? I can't really say that I am being persecuted directly at this time. We live in a country where we have freedom to worship as we choose. When I think about how this verse can apply to this, I thought about how our values and the things we believe in are trashed by the media and popular culture. Therefore, it would be a good thing to pray for those who are against what we believe and hold dear.
Labels: Prayer
5 Comments:
Jewels, I think you made a good point. If we are not feeling persecution or have enemies because of our expression of faith, I think we are called to identify with those who do. How do we do that? It's easy to say we'll pray for them and their situation. Maybe we need to get down and dirty and put ourselves in places where people do suffer. Some people do this on mission trips. Gord and I walked the boardwalk by church this week and saw people living under the bridges on the other side of the river. I think MCC is in a strategic place in time and location go be with those who suffer.
God sends grace like rain on the righteous and unrighteous alike, and we should do as He does. And this is what sets us apart as sons of our Father in Heaven.
Good point. Good reminder for us all to pray even for those who may have wronged us. Not easy but a command nonetheless. Notice that Jesus did not further elaborate how to pray for our enemies. Any thoughts on that?
Pearlie asks a great question. Tough too. Would you pray for God to do his work in order to accomplish his purpose in their hearts? Would you ask God to change their hearts? Show his love to them through us or others? Change my own heart so that I could see them through his eyes? While it would be tempting to pray for justice (the way I see it..) I think this sermon would suggest that we would pray for grace. And then forgiveness. What do you think?
Skip,
You reminded me of people in this country who may be persecuted for their faith by being cut off from their families & others who are unbelievers.
Pearlie, you brought up a good question on how to pray, and I agree with Skip that it would be too easy to pray for justice to be done in our eyes when the true thing we should be looking for is for God's kingdom to rule and His purposes to be accomplished. I am reminded of the Pharisee in Luke 18 who prayed "God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector." Then the tax collector prays, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." It's a good thing to ask how we should pray.
Skip,
Great thoughts. I think we should pray for all you mentioned: God's purpose, change of hearts, love, change of our hearts, even justice but with grace, forgiveness.
Post a Comment
<< Home