Love Your Enemies
2009-12-16

First night home for Steph went well. She seems really happy and very glad to be home. For now, the meds seem to be working okay.

My Psalm for today is: Psalm 137. The Psalmist unleashes a venomous string of hatred towards the enemies of Israel, ending with a plea that their babies be dashed against the rocks. Does this mean it's okay for us to pray this way against our enemies? I think we have to ask Jesus for the ultimate answer to that question. Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message, has this to say: "Know your enemies by name, but most of all, pray for them by name, forgive them by name, and love them by name."

Calvin, however, has this to say: "If the divine promises inspire us with hope and confidence, and God's Spirit attemper our afflictions to the rule of his own uprightness, we shall lift up our heads in the lowest depths of affliction to which we may be cast down, and glory in the fact that it is well with us in our worst distresses, and that our enemies are devoted to destruction."

How do we translate this to our society today? Should we love and pray for our enemies? Absolutely. Jesus told us to do so. But we can also have confidence that any enemies of our faith will not prevail. Personally, I don't think that this applies to enemies of our country. But that's just my opinion. I don't think God has any affinity for any countries any more. He loves the Church, and any enemy that dares try to harm his Church will be ultimately destroyed.


Today's reading in Tabletalk Magazine discusses principles of Biblical interpretation, specifically for individuals in their private readings. The first of two principles is that "no text of Scripture can have two meanings that are irreconcilable." If I think it means one thing and you think it means something else, and our two meanings contradict each other, either one or both of us are wrong. We cannot both be right (however, we CAN both be wrong). The other principle is that we need to try to interpret difficult passages in light of clear passages. It will not guarantee understanding, but it will help prevent us from twisting meanings into things God never intended. It is also helpful to study the Bible along with others, especially more mature believers.

The reading from Holiness Day by Day supplements the above by saying this: We need to approach the Bible each day with a spirit of deep humility, recognizing that our understanding of spiritual truth is at best incomplete and to some extent inaccurate."

Jesus called us little children in Luke 10:21, and we need to approach Scripture in this way, asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand it. "Regardless of how much we already understand, there's still an infinite storehouse of understanding of the mind of God waiting for us in Scripture."

It's almost frightening to think that, someday, when we see him face to face, we will understand it all. I can't help but think that my reaction to that will be something along the lines of "Your head esplode!" (I you get that reference, you get 1000 million points!)


Father, I thank you for the confidence that we can have that our enemies will not prevail. But I also ask that you help us to follow the commands of Jesus when he told us to love our enemies and do good to them. Help us to have the humility and compassion to pray for even our enemies.

Help us to understand your word. I pray for the Holy Spirit's teaching daily as I open your words and read them. There are always going to be things that I don't understand. Help me not fall prey to the trap that I have seen many church leaders fall into in my life, and that is to make up answers when we don't really have them. Let us never teach things as facts that are not written in your words. Let us approach your words daily with the humility that we are infinitely less wise than you.

I thank you and praise you, Father, that our daughter is home. I pray that she will continue to improve over time. Help us find ways to help her. And to help us, as well. Help this home to be a loving, safe home for all of us.


Love your enemies. Do good to them that hate you. Possibly the most difficult commandment in all of the Bible. But not impossible.

Grace and peace, friends. And enemies.



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