Daily Devotional – June 26-July 2
June 26 – Meditating on God’s Word
This devotional series offers less content but more opportunity for you to reflect, contemplate, and pray through the short Scriptures we offer. It is an opportunity to help us slow down and enjoy time in the presence of God. It is an exercise in listening with the intent of hearing from God through His Word and by His Spirit. Here is the passage for the week:
Matthew 5:43-48, “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.
Prayer: “Lord Jesus, what an impossible teaching! We can’t do it! It goes against everything we feel and want to do. That’s the point, we’re not supposed to. We can only do so when You are alive in us extending Your love to others. Loving the unlovable is one of many signs that we’ve been redeemed and filled with Your Spirit. Continue to do a deeper work in my life so that I can love perfectly as the Father in Heaven does. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
June 27 – Meditating on God’s Word
Matthew 5:43-44, “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,
Write out the Scripture. (As it is or in your own words.)
“You have heard it said, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Observe what it is saying. (Answer the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions)
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus identifies and corrects some teaching that had been passed along. For many of them, their understanding had become that a neighbor was anyone who was in their faith community, and an enemy was anyone who was a Gentile or outside their community. Jesus was re-ordering their thinking about how they were to display God’s love to the world. The new era of God’s kingdom was to love and pray for their opposition.
Relate it to your life. (Connect how this Scripture speaks into your life today.)
This kind of love is core to Christ’s kingdom. It’s a love that goes against everything I feel and want to do. It’s actively displaying Jesus’ love to the most difficult people which includes praying for their well-being. Whenever I do this, I know Jesus is living and loving through me.
Do something. (Pray it. Live it. Act on it.)
“Lord Jesus, these are really challenging words. The only way I can live them out is to totally surrender myself to You and allow You to enter in through Your Spirit. I surrender to You now. Please take over my heart and my willingness so You can shine through me at all times. Amen.”
June 28 – Meditating on God’s Word
Matthew 5:45, 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.
Write out the Scripture.
“that you may be children of your heavenly Father. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Observe what it is saying.
To love the unlovable and to pray for our enemies is a defining characteristic of belonging to the Father in heaven. Those who have been redeemed and transformed by God’s grace have a new heart by which to operate. This is the heart of the Father who provides both the sun and rain (both understood to be good things) to those who are right with Him and those who aren’t.
Relate it to your life.
How I respond to those opposed to me is a good test to determine who has my heart.
Do something.
“Father, I am Your Son by Your grace and love. Make my heart like yours so I can generously share Your mercy with those who may be difficult to do so. Amen.”
June 29 – Meditating on God’s Word
Matthew 5:46, If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
Write out the Scripture.
“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Don’t even the tax collectors do that?”
Observe what it is saying.
Loving others who love us is the common way. Even those who were known to take advantage of others, like the tax collectors, could get on board with this limited scope of love.
Relate it to your life.
After John Wesley felt his heart strangely warmed where he trusted in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation, an assurance was given him that Christ had taken away his sins. He said, “I began to pray with all my might for those who had in a more especial manner despitefully used me and persecuted me.” His personal encounter with Christ led immediately to loving his enemies!
Do something.
“Jesus, do the same in me. Warm my heart. Save my soul. Let me pray for my enemies. Amen.”
June 30 – Meditating on God’s Word
Matthew 5:47, And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Write out the Scripture.
“And if you speak only to your own people, what are you doing more than others? Even the unredeemed do that.”
Observe what it is saying.
Jesus gives another example of how our love needs to be expanded beyond the common way. This way is cliquish and only greets those who are most like us. Even those who have nothing to do with God show such limited friendliness.
Relate it to your life.
As a follower of Jesus, Christ’s warmth and friendliness are to extend beyond my inner circle of family and friends to those who are different and even in opposition to me.
Do something.
“Jesus, give me Your warm and loving Spirit so that I may show Your love to everyone and even greet those who are most difficult to deal with. Amen.”
July 1 – Meditating on God’s Word
Matthew 5:48, Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Write out the Scripture.
“Be complete, therefore, as your heavenly Father is complete.”
Observe what it is saying.
The word “perfect” can easily trip us up because of our experience with perfectionism. We quickly read on because this appears beyond the realm of possibility. However, perfect means to be complete and whole. Luke’s version says, “Be merciful as your Father is merciful.”
In this context of loving our enemies, this is the completeness that Jesus is speaking. When we love, pray, and bless our enemies, then we are complete, perfect, and merciful.
Relate it to your life.
I need to guard against perfectionism but fully embrace biblical perfection as described.
Do something.
“Father, through Your Spirit, make me complete. Empower me to love the unlovable. Overwhelm me with Your love so that I exude Your love at all times and in all places. Amen.”