Is there another way?

2007-06-11T16:17:00.000-06:00

I would like to propose that we do our best to follow the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 5: 43-48 where we are directed to pray for our enemies. There are serious issues internally within the church, the country and the world, and we should do what we can to bring about change as we feel directed. However, in these verses Jesus tells us to pray FOR our enemies and those that despise us, etc. While with our human minds and hearts and egos, we tend to think that our idea of how something should resolve or be is THE answer, we certainly do not know God's mind or ways. In moments of clarity (or something like that) I can agree with what I am writing here and pray for God's will to be done, and actually mean it, even if it requires a change in my world and standard of living. In my opinion, we must pray for our enemies, follow our understanding of God's plan for our life and be the best we can be.

The praying for our enemies would seem to include any experience or person that we have a strong reaction regarding. It is my sense that there is no way to solve many of the problems of the world with the ideas of the world, we must consciously and colletively try something that may not have been done in the past, at least in sufficient numbers.

Enemies would/could include politicians, governments, principalities and Islamic and religious extremist of all faiths, gambling interest, people living alternate lifestyles, drug dealers and users and dogs with rabies (sic). Whatever these enemies are for us individually or collectively, we would include them in our prayers, and let them know we are doing so. Not to further our agendas, but for God to bless, guide and direct them. "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven....", and for us individually, to be willing to follow God's plan as we understand it.
For example: this means to me that we are required to pray for the Congress and all those involved in the political arena, that love and compassion of Jesus Christ surrounds and enfolds them and that they listen to and our guided by this spirit in their decisions relating to social programs, economice issues and involvement in armed conflicts.

Another example of an enemy from our perspective is the Islamic extremist although to him we are considered the enemy. What a paradox. There is only one God, but the gods seem to be at war within their churches and on a world level also. We can certainly pray, not for peace in the Middle East, because we don't know what peace looks like, but we could pray for God to be at work in the hearts and minds of these people including the extremist and in us. That we are reconclied with them through Jesus Christ and while we do not understand of condone what they are doing, they are as loved by Jesus as are we.

As you can tell, the list is probably endless. The good news is that it is what Jesus told us to do and if we have faith the size of a mustard seed..?

Who knows, we may even find that God's plan for the world is not the prespective of highly educated middle aged white males. For some reason I had to take a poke at myself as a highly educated middle aged white male.

Feel free to contact me on this.

Praying for Our Enemies

Is there another way?