Like Our Father In Heaven

Matthew 5:44-45 (NET) But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

There was a logging error in the warehouse department of the company, and several crates of finished goods were unaccounted for.

Bill wrote a report about it and lied that Trevor was the one responsible for the error. If Trevor were not so skilled at his job and kept his own personal logs, he would have lost his job because of the lie Bill told against him.

When Trevor realized that Bill was the one who lied against him in the report, he started to nurse hatred in his heart towards Bill. But because Trevor was a believer, he observed that he could no longer commune with the Lord while hatred was being cultivated in his heart. He wept the day he decided to truly forgive Bill. But Trevor knew his communion with the Lord was too precious to forfeit because of the need to revenge. After months passed, it was evident to Trevor that he had been promoted spiritually and physically because of that tough decision he made to forgive Bill.

When we love our enemies, it means we don’t repay evil for evil, but we even render help to them if they are in need (Romans 12:20). This is one of the strongest proofs that a person is truly born of God that shuts down every accusation against his rights to the privileges of sonship in God’s house.

Because there is a day that God has set aside to judge the wicked, he provides for all people and allows his rain to fall on both the righteous and the wicked, hoping that the wicked will repent. That is the same mentality that keeps us from hating our enemies. We understand that no one can escape God’s judgment, and we show mercy hoping that they will change and find God’s grace the way we too found God’s grace.

Secondly, because we understand that our destinies are not in the hands of our enemies but only in the hand of God, and the worst our enemies can do to us will only end up working together for our good(Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28), we are not afraid of them but pity them.

Go into today remembering to overcome every fear in your heart for anyone that is not the Lord God(See Matthew 10:28). One reason believers sin against the Lord by hating other people is because of deep-rooted fear and insecurity. Seek the Lord and get rid of every fear in your heart(Psalm 34:4). It is a sin to fear anyone but God. Fear is an anchor that prevents spiritual progress.

Prayer: Lord, deliver me from all fear. Help me always remember that my destiny is secure in your hand, and no enemy has the power to destroy it.

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