Day 28

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be

children of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:44-45

We all have enemies. Sometimes we don’t like to admit this. We want to think that we love everyone and that everyone loves us, but that is highly unlikely. Sometimes these enemies pop up even in our family circle!

One of the most difficult challenges for a Christ follower is loving his or her enemies. Not only does Jesus do this but he also wants us to do so. Obviously, Jesus believes that there can be little spiritual growth until we start to love those whom we consider enemies.

Often the first step in loving our enemies is praying for them. Praying for our enemies discourages us from saying or doing anything nasty to those we dislike. Prayer also has the power to change our attitudes. Maybe this is why Jesus specifically tells his disciples to pray for their enemies.

Daily Practice

Pick someone today with whom you are not on speaking a few minutes to pray specifically for God’s blessing on his or her life.