Praying for Persecutors

I just read a news story that horrified me. In Nigeria, attackers raided a village and killed a pregnant woman and her baby by cutting the child out of her belly. I was shocked. How could people do this? We’re told to love our enemies and to pray for our persecutors, but how can anyone forgive when the violence is this revolting? I was angry. But then I realized that I was forgetting something vital.

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” . . . Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” --Acts 2:22-23, 37-38

Wow. I’m angry that someone killed someone else’s child, but God loved those who killed His own Son. In fact, it was only through the Son’s death that we, the cause of His death, could receive forgiveness. God wasn’t taking sin lightly—in fact, He sent his Son to be put to death because He takes our sin so seriously.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. --Romans 8:3-4

I am once again amazed by God’s love and forgiveness. God, help us to love like You do.



Source: International Christian Concern