Daily Devotional
God Empowers Us to Love Our Enemies
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up.”
1 Corinthians 13:4
June 5, 2023
Ponder This
True love enables us to be patient. If you’re an impatient person, if you give up on people, if you quit loving, you become unlike the Lord Jesus. True love is longsuffering love. It is patient. It forgives “seventy times seven” and then keeps on forgiving (Matthew 18:22).
True love is also serving love. The Bible says this love is kind. What is kindness? Kindness is serving one another. True love serves those who don’t deserve to be served. If you love me, do you know what you’ll do for me? You will not give me what I deserve, you will give me what I need. Jesus said in Luke 6:27-28, “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.” What are you to do for your enemies or people you don’t get along with? You’re to do good, speak well, and pray hard. Show them kindness.
If there’s someone that has done you wrong, find some way you can be kind to that person, lift the load for that person, mow a lawn for that person, carry some soup to that person, bless that person, pray for that person, or encourage that person. That’s the way God loves you. That is agape love.
- Who have you been upset with recently? How have you treated that person?
- When has someone been patient with you though you didn’t deserve it? How did that affect you?
Practice This
Serve someone you have been at odds with recently.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
