Praying for the enemy

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt 5:43—45, ESV).

Sudeesh is honest and sincere with a good amount of curiosity. While passing by a church on Sunday morning he asked someone walking to the church what do they do in the church every Sunday. Tom, one of the church-goers whom he stopped, thought for a while and answered, “we pray for people like you.” Though it is the simplest answer that Tom come up with, it bewildered Sudeesh. "You pray for others?" Sudeesh was shocked. “We only pray for ourselves and for those whom we love and care for.” That is true. Most people limit their prayers to themselves and also for their dear ones, if they can find time for that. Jesus challenges us further demanding to love our enemies and even pray for them.

Enemies fall into two classes. One, the people whom we consider as our enemies—people whom we hate and hurt. However, a disciple of Christ is not allowed to hate or harm others. So enemy in this context are not those whom we consider as enemies. However, there is another possibility. These are people who hate and harm us. We have no control over them like the authorities who persecuted the poor, helpless Christians. They considered the Christians whom they persecuted as enemies. They could justify persecuting them once they view them as enemies because in their opinion enemies had to be done away with.

However, the value-system that Jesus taught his disciple is different. Jesus taught that our enemy is not the one we hate, but they are those who hate us. But it is our duty to love them and not hate them. In other words, though they consider us as enemies, we have to consider them as people who deserve our love.

Jesus raised the bar further. He said, it is not just loving; love is just a feeling. But love should lead us to pray for them. But Jesus didn’t clarify what should a Christian pray for their persecutors. Are we asked to pray that they should stop persecuting, or that their persecution is more bearable? 

The answer to these questions is in Jesus’ prayer on the cross. He did not pray that they will poke him with their spears a bit more gently, nor their ridicule is milder. His prayer was an intercession for forgivenes for his persecutors. He asked father God to forgive them since they don’t really understand what they are doing. He asked God to forgive their ignorance. 

Prayer for the enemy still focuses on the enemy and not on us. It is not our comfort that we seek when we pray for our enemies but theirs that God may forgive them.

Walking with God in Love and Justice

I recall the days sharing an apartment with a few other single men.  None of us knew cooking so we had a lady sending us lunch-boxes every day. We noticed that over the weeks this kind lady has customized our lunch boxes to suit each individual’s likes and dislikes—each of us had our favorites dishes more often while the dishes that we detested have disappeared from the menu.

We were amused. How did this woman know what each of us like though she hasn’t even met most of us even once? We quizzed the man who brought the lunch for us every day. He told us the secret. She would check all the lunch boxes that we returned and made a note of what remains in them. Whatever, a person did not eat she considered it as a dislike and whatever was eaten, she considered as his favorite. Thus, over the weeks she knew what each of us like and what we detested. Now you know why we adored her!

Knowing God’s will and pleasing him by doing what he likes is even more noble. That is what we are called for.

Micah, a prophet of the eighth century BC proclaimed, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, ESV).

Prophet Micah summarizes what God likes and what God hates in Israel’s social life. He highlights three things. He expects his people to do what is right, to love mercy and to walk humbly.

The book of Deuteronomy, all the prophetic voices in the Old Testament and Jesus constantly reminded the people that God desires righteousness, and justice. He demands that they show mercy to each other especially those who are vulnerable in their society. Another prophet of the same period cried out! “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24, ESV).”

Probably Micah stands out in the company of the prophets by specifying that living a life that God delights is to “walk humbly with your God.”

Walking humbly means to lead a modest life. In fact, one of the meanings of the word used for ‘humble’ in Hebrew is ‘modest.’ Modest life is not to live extravagantly but one that limits to what is essential. At the same time, the expression “with God” means that God determines this life-style. The standard of our life-style is decided by our close walk with God.

A life lived in comparison with the standards of others, sometimes even leading to competition to beat each other leads not only to excesses. In a similar vein, life-style that focuses on the self to the total neglect of the needs around us leads to all that is ungodly. The immodest life-style leads to corruption, exploitation and causes pain for others. The wealthy in Israel oppressed and exploited the poor to satisfy their cravings for luxury. Prophet Amos condemns those who lived in palaces decorated with ivory, and drunk to their fill and loved rave parties.

​ “Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!’ (Amos 4:1, ESV)

“Cows of Bashan” is a metaphor that Amos used to describe the obese wealthy women.

Amos condemned the rich further:

“Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore, they shall now be the first of those who go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away” (Amos 6:4-7, ESV).

Their extravagant life-style was at the expense of the poor and needy whom them conveniently ignored. They created a society where injustice and inequality prevailed over love and mercy. However, a life pleasing God is modest, is content with what one has than grabbing what others have to live haughtily as Isaiah portrayed such lives.

“The LORD said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet, (Isaiah 3:16, ESV).”

The pride in what one wear, eat and spend is not the mark of a life pleasing God.

 

(Photo courtesy: Rudolf Kirchner)

Seeing beyond what we can see!

The people of Israel on the way to the promised land was caught literally between the Devil and the deep-sea. When they discovered that they were facing the Red Sea, they were convinced that there is no way beyond the lashing waves—the path ended in the sea. Then when they turned back, the dust being raised by the army of the Pharaoh fast approaching. They were sure that their end has come. So, they complained to Moses, “Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:12, ESV).

We know the rest of the story that they did not perish by the sword of the Pharaoh, neither did they drown in the Read Sea. They made it across, but the army that pursued them perished in the sea. But why did they whine? What frightened them?

What terrified them is certainly what they saw—the army behind, and the sea in front. However, if they were capable of perceiving realities beyond what they could see, they would have dealt with the situation more courageously.

They failed to perceive two realities. The first is that God is with them. That was the immediate reality. The army of the Pharaoh is far behind, though they are fast approaching. The God who has led them out of the land of slavery with ‘a mighty hand and an outstretched arm’ hasn’t abandoned them, he is right with them, beside them. The reality that is far off scared them because they ignore the ‘present-help’ that was nearby.

Overlooking what is close by is very much part of human nature. That is why the airhostess making safety procedures has to remind us that “the nearest exit my be just behind you.” In an emergency we may head for the exit far ahead in the front ignoring the exit which is just one row behind us. We fail to realize that God is close to us in every circumstance than our adversaries are.

They failed in another aspect also. They failed to see that there is a land beyond the formidable watery chaos staring at them. God hasn’t delivered them out of the Egypt to lead them into the sea but to take them to a land that is beyond the sea. He is leading them to a land that God promised repeatedly to their forefathers. The sea just happens to be on the way. The failure to perceive this promise beyond the immediate threat is another reason why they thought that their end has come.

We need to realize that God is with us in all circumstances. We need to assure ourselves as Elisha assured his scared servant that “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). Realizing God’s fuller purpose for our life is the sure way of combating fear that cripples us. God’s plan for us doesn’t end with the immediate circumstances that we face at the moment. He will not bring anything to an end unless he fulfill his promises in our life and his plans are completed they way want them to be.

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The Conquering Grace

 

Grace of God is hard to define. When I was making baby steps in Christian faith, mentors told me that ‘grace is unmerited favor.’ I found that helpful. But as I continued to experience God’s grace as I grew, I found that this definition is inadequate to express all that God does in my life. Now, I have come to realize that grace of God is such a thing that eludes any definition. Grace, as I understand now is what God alone and no human can do in our lives.

It comes in various colors, shapes and sizes! John, the gospel writer seems to have understood the multifarious nature of grace that he talks about the ‘fullness of grace’ and ‘grace upon grace’ (John 1:17). Or the New Living Translation puts it: ‘From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.’ These expressions mean that grace is not just one-sided reality but a multi-faceted reality. Its fullness is beyond our comprehension just as God evades our understanding.

One of the rare but important aspect of God’s grace is its power to conquer even those who reject it. I call it the ‘conquering grace.’

The story of Apostle Paul illustrates the point. He experienced the grace of God in such a measure that towards the end of his life he would proclaim that ‘But by the grace of God I am what I am’ (1 Cor 15:10). What he is and what he has achieved is the work of God’s grace in his life.

However, the work of grace in his life marks the beginning of his service to God. That however, was the work of the conquering grace of God. He was a rebel who rejected the grace of God in his life. He was full of hatred for God’s own people. Not only that, but he persecuted them, killed them and was bent on eradicating the whole movement of the disciples of Christ. He was actually persecuting the risen Christ.

But what happened on the Damascus road was an act of the conquering grace. God captivated Saul (who later became Paul) by blinding him with a bright light and speaking to him. As Paul fell off the animal he was riding and turned blind, God conquered him by his grace. He became a disciple, filled with the Holy Spirit and became the most important apostle of all time. Thus, the grace of God conquered the vilest of offenders.

As I think of people, some in my close circles also, I hope in God’s conquering grace. They don’t heed God’s Word, they reject godly counsel, some are a law unto themselves. But I hope and pray for them that one day they will have the Damascus road experience where grace will conquer them. When grace conquered him, Paul changed his address. In most of the letters that he wrote to the churches, he described himself as ‘a slave of Jesus Christ’ because the conquering grace had enslaved him.

Why do giants fall?

 I wrote a blog years ago with a similar title. However, I can't track it down now. It is lost in the Cyberspace.

Now, I write these lines because another giant is fallen and there is a lot of wisdom that can be gathered from that fall. A great apologist is proved guilty of improper sexual behavior with his own employees. Since he is dead and gone no one can verify the truthfulness of the allegations with him. However, an independent agency appointed by his own organization that bears his name to inquire into the matter has confirmed that the allegations are true. The report was released by the organization that he founded and led till his death. 

Though this particular allegation by three women were raised after his recent death and proven a few months later, he was not immune to allegations while alive. There were allegations about false claims he made about his educational qualifications. He stopped using the titles that he did not earn. There was an allegation about his moral misbehavior, but he was able to hush it up. Now, allegations continue to pursue him beyond the grave. That is very alarming.

I was never a fan of him, though he was an orator and has written many books. One or two of those titles are worth reading as well. I didn't care about what he had to say. The reason is simple, most of his talk pointed to him, his greatness and his (false) claims. Once an older friend of mine, who was also editor of a popular Christian magazine, told me: 'If you heard him once, you heard him all!' For my humble analytical mind he said the same thing over and over again but in newer and newer ways, spicing up with his claims of new achievements. For me these were disgusting.

I was mentored by people whom I considered great. However, these are people who never considered that they were great. They were humble, down to earth people. Their greatness, if any, was ascribed but not self-claimed.

These people were shaped by the gospel. These are people who realized that in the Kingdom of God whoever tries to exalt himself/herself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12). Anyone who tries to make himself a household brand will be trampled under the feet and will become the scorn of the world in life and death. The giant who has become the scorn of the world for his own misdeeds proves that, 'God oppose the proud but gives grace to the humble' (James 4:6).

So, the lesson is simple, the wisdom of God in this matter is: 'Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you' (1 Pet 5:6).

Do not rejoice that another giant is fallen, but let us take care that we don't fall prey to the same temptation to exalt ourselves; allow God to exalt us, if he pleases, in his own time, in his own way.

Why did Abraham Cut the Wood only after Saddling the Donkey?

Cutting the wood to sacrifice Isaac was the last thing that Abraham did when he set out for Moriah. He had prepared the servants, he had saddled the donkey and then went to cut the firewood! See the sequence of events:

 'So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him' (Gen 22:3, ESV).

He should have cut the wood the previous evening, before going to bed. Preparing the servants, and saddling the donkey could be in the morning. Taking time to cut the wood in the morning would certainly delay the journey.

We can't explain Abraham's peculiar behavior; only some guesses. Maybe he was expecting God to intervene before they set out. Did Abraham think that getting up in the morning, saddling the donkey and getting the servants ready will send enough clues to God that he is willing to obey and expect him to intervene? So, cutting wood will not be needed. Probably, that is what he might have thought.

But for God the commitment he expected from him was more than just cutting the wood, setting out for the journey, even stacking the wood and making Isaac lie on the wood. But the commitment that God expected from Abraham required him more than these gestures to actually swinging the knife at him to slaughter him. That is the level of obedience that God expected from him.

No surprise!

This is what he expected from his son on the cross as well. God sent his son to the earth, made him to have a humble birth in a rather poor family, to hunger and thirst.... God still waited until he was beaten and ridiculed. That was not enough. He allowed him to be crucified and was buried. Then only the obedience was complete. Till, as Paul puts it he 'became obedient till the death on a cross.' 

However, Abraham got his son back; so also Jesus Christ. Isaac was not killed, but the Son of God was martyred to be brought back to life to live for ever. God proved through the life of Isaac and that of his Son Jesus Christ that obedience is always rewarded.

Every test of faith involves obedience. The level of obedience could vary. However, God expects us to go the deeper levels of obedience that he expects from us. However, he is watching. He intervenes on the right time. Just before the knife splits the throat of Isaac and just before the fourth night falls on the cave where his precious son is buried.

Why prayers are not answered?

When things happen not the way we prayed for, it could mean that what we prayed was not in God's will. This is one of the many possibilities. Other possibilities are that we did not have enough faith in God when we prayed. As James says, we should ask in faith with no doubt. He said further that the person who doubts 'is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord' (James 1:7-8, ESV).

Lack of faith, or prayer with doubt that arises out of a double-mind could be one reason why prayers are not answered. However, the possibility remains for prayers in full faith to be unanswered. It could be that what we prayed for is not in the will of God.

I can think of the case of Paul where he says that he prayed three times for the 'thorn in the flesh' to be removed. It could be ailment that he prayed for healing. However, God did not answer his prayer for healing but just assured him of His constant sustaining grace: 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness' (2 Cor 12:9, ESV).

What went wrong with Paul's prayers? It seems that he was praying for something that was not in God's will.

So, what should we do when things happen against our expectations even after earnest prayers? We should surrender to his supreme will and move in the direction he shows hoping that God has chosen us the best. Again we exercise our faith in God. The faith that all gifts that God, 'the father of lights' sends are good (James 1:17).