Your Love Lifts Us Higher

 

 Matthew 5:43-48

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Rita Coolidge's ever popular rendition of Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher and Higher, comes to mind as Jesus encourages us to love our enemies, not just our neighbors. He invites us to pray for those who persecute us, and we might add, those with whom we have difficult relationships. It's not easy to get along with everyone, but if we want to reach the level of being as perfect as our heavenly Father, we need to take that next step, we need to let his love lift us to this higher level..  Can we, will we do it TODAY? 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to take the challenge to love all, even the most difficult, even my "enemy"! Amen.