Today’s Encouragement is Luke 6:28 ESV Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Those who abuse –
Whenever we are attacked, cursed, or abused, aren’t we often shocked, and frankly disappointed with God? “Why me God?” We ask. “What did I do to deserve this abuse?”
The abuser abuses, the curser curses, (“haters gonna hate”) simply because that person is not under God’s control, they have chosen their own way, and all they have is hatred and cursing and abuse. Or perhaps this is a believer who has momentarily fallen into this sin, like Peter when Jesus rebuked him and said, “Get behind me, Satan!” And this happens to all of us from time to time! And this person needs the Love of Christ in their life!
Notice Jesus is teaching us… as if He is saying, “This is how my followers will respond… to the inevitable attacks of evil, which they will encounter during this life on earth.” And just as He did to Satan attacking him through Peter… this is how we are to respond to abuse.
It is precisely because we do belong to Him that we are maligned, accused, and attacked! This is why we can “Count it all Joy” (James 1:2). Our identification with Jesus causes us to be attacked!
And His instruction? What do we do? Bless them and pray for them. These are people who need Him! These are people under the control of evil, either totally or momentarily, they are deceived and controlled by evil. He even went on to say… “Love them!” And reject the hurt, abuse, and accusations (Satan is always the accuser!)
Father God, we can only do as You teach us, when You live in and through us, to think and act according to Your Will. Help us to do so Father, so that we recognize that we are free from the evils, abuse, and accusations of this world because we are Yours.
Not Today
Hillsong
Today’s Encouragement 