Seize the Moment – Day 776
Bless Your Enemy!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, May 2.
Have you ever rejoiced at the death of an enemy?
Welcome to the 10th book of the Old Testament. Second Samuel 1:17-18 begins with David doing a surprising thing: “Then David chanted with this lament over Saul and Jonathan his son, and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.” We understand David’s grief over Jonathan, but why Saul? While Saul was the anointed of Israel and his king, Saul was also the mad man who had made the last eight years of David’s life miserable. Burning with jealousy and fueled with anger, Saul had relentlessly sought David’s life.
But David, a man after God’s own heart, not only would not raise a hand against his king, the anointed of God, he lamented his death through this psalm, as recorded in 2 Samuel 1:19-27. David set an example for us to follow. Don’t dance on the graves of your enemies but grieve for them and pray for their salvations.
Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us in Matthew 5:44-45. Peter taught the way of Jesus to the early church in 1 Peter 3:8-9: “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.” Paul commanded the same in Romans 12:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:15.
Seize the moment and seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness by being a blessing to all – this is the way of Jesus! Do no return evil for evil, rather seek to be a blessing because you never know how God is preparing you for even greater things.