Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Pray for your Enemies

"May the fleas of a thousand camels nest in your shorts," Johnny Carson used to crack as Carnac the Magnificent on the Tonight Show.

Is that, or much worse, the kind of prayer/desire you have for your enemies? I think that’s very normal, yet Jesus really challenges us to do something that is so different and so difficult.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Jesus did it. He challenged them and rebuked them, but in the end, he prayed for them.

How can I do that? And just what is it that I praying for?

It can only be done by the power of God and by aligning our desire with God’s. His desire? That all people, including those who hate him (and us), come to know him and his love.

God is patient with us and the process.

We need to keep praying.

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