Love Your Enemies • Devotion 6

Where is Your Trust?
Joe Wilson

I have an important question to which we all need to truthfully examine ourselves and answer. Take a moment and ask yourself, “Do I really trust God?” Now, most of us, if we are being honest will say, “Absolutely, without a doubt.” Okay, keep that thought. Think about that person who just gets under your skin, that person who takes the contradictory point of view to everything you say, or that person who is sitting in your seat at church on Sunday (that one might sting a little). Do you love them? Do you pray for them? Or, do you make it all about you?

Matthew 5:43-49 (KJV) says, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (emphasis added)

Read this Scripture again carefully. Here Jesus gives us the directions and guidance on how to handle these types of situations. As I read, I looked and was unable to locate where it states, “Only if it is convenient or easy.” Loving our enemies or better yet, our perceived enemies, is not always an easy thing to do, but in the end, it can be very peaceful and rewarding when we trust in God.

Romans 12:19 (KJV) says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

Finally, as we go on the path that God has put before us all, an older hymn written in 1874 comes to mind. Let the chorus of that hymn rest in your heart this very day.

Only trust Him, only trust Him.
Only trust Him now.
He will save you, He will save you.
He will save you now.


Again, I ask you, “Do we really trust God?”

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