Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:43-48.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus tells us “You have heard that it was said” and has a warning for us – this saying is from humans, not God. The command to hate your enemy does not appear anywhere in scripture. It is a human thought that had been repeated over and over until it became a “saying” some thought was from God.

This is why Jesus encourages us to be in God’s word – so that we can separate what people say from the truth He gives us. How can we know God’s will for us if we don’t study His word? We often wind up going astray because we believe the word of man over the word of God.

God wants us all to be counted as His people, but we must learn what He requires of us in order to be included. God’s word teaches us God’s will so we can walk in God’s way. Jesus says then we can “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”.

Loving Lord, help us to learn Your word, Your will and Your way. Teach us the joy of a relationship with You and the love we are called to share with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:43-48.

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48

You’ve asked some really difficult things of us, Lord. “Love your neighbor as yourself”. “Love your enemies and bless those that curse you”. These are hard but really now – “be perfect”? That’s just not possible.

God knows how hard this is for us because He knows how imperfect we have become. He sees our struggles and wants us to know His love and that there is a better way, not the easy way but the way He had intended for us all along. God knows we can be perfect because He made us to be perfect.

God created us in His own image, a true reflection of His glory. Through our failings that image has been marred and obscured, but through His love for us that image can be restored. When Christ asks us to be perfect, we can answer “Yes Lord, with Your help” and begin to renew the image of the Father within us.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the many ways we harm each other and dishonor Your creation. Show us the way to be made whole again through Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:43-48.

And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Matthew 5:47

Once again, Jesus urges us to be more than what the world expects of us. We are called to be the children of God, and that means to live in ways that are often contrary to those of others. Our actions come from the love of God within us, not our own desires or the standards of our culture.

Jesus says these things to make us look at ourselves and see how our changed hearts and lives can become an example to others. If we are to lead people to Him, we must be as much like Him as possible. If we are to be like Him, we must know and do what He teaches.

Being like Jesus is not easy, but it is necessary if we are to work for His kingdom. Living a Christian life will often put us at odds with the ways of the world. We must persevere, sharing His love with everyone, but especially with those who may not love us.

Gracious God, we are grateful for the gift of Your Son to teach us and lead us. Help us to be more like Him that we may reach out to Your world in love. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:43-48.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
Matthew 5:46

During the course of His time with us, Jesus tells us many times that we are called to a higher standard than the world expects of people. In Matthew 7 Jesus teaches “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”. The world tells us to do to others what they do to us, a stark contrast with the law of God to love one another.

We often find as believers we are at odds with worldly opinion and practice. The way of the world is the easy path, putting ourselves first. As Christians, we are expected to put others first, living for God and not ourselves.

Jesus taught us to take the right path, even when it is not easy. If we love only those who love us in return, we are not following His teaching. His way requires us to be intentional in our faith and to love when it would be easier to ignore.

Lord of all, You call us to treat everyone with love and respect, but instead we curse each other. Help us to see that the way of the world leads to destruction, and show us how we can live in peace. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:43-48.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:44-45

Jesus has an important lesson for us in these verses – if we want to be the children of God, we must follow His guidance, loving all people, not just those who love us. While this may be hard to hear and harder to do, Jesus explains that God treats all people the same, and expects us to do so as well.

God’s creation is given to everyone and we are all part of that creation. In that sense, God has given us to each other. We are expected to nurture and protect everything God has given us, to be good stewards of His gifts and we sometimes forget that charge applies to caring for all of His people.

Jesus knows that some people are harder to love than others, but there is no exception to the command He gives us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. We don’t get to choose to love some and hate others. All people are loved by God and He calls us to love them as He does.

Wise and wonderful God, You have made all things and given us a duty to Your creation. Help us to see others as You do and love them because You first loved us. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:43-48.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
Matthew 5:43

Jesus tells the people “you have heard it said” and the people had indeed heard it, but not from Him nor the prophets nor anywhere in scripture. Nowhere does it say to hate your enemies. Psalm 139:21-22 records David saying “Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, … I count them my enemies” but those are the words of man, not God.

We have been adept from the very beginning at twisting God’s word to suit ourselves. In Genesis 3:6 we hear Eve’s thinking about the forbidden fruit “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it”. We reason “God only wants good for us and this is good so why shouldn’t we have it?” and that’s how we fall into sin. Obeying our own desires instead of God’s is never a good thing.

Jesus will show us how we have come to believe that if a thing is true then the opposite must be true as well – love neighbor, hate enemies – but He will show us that God’s logic is different. God is love and He wants us to love each other no matter what. It is a lesson Jesus will repeat to us in many ways and show us by His example, loving us all even when it wasn’t easy.

Loving Lord, we are quick to anger and slow to love. You taught us to love each other no matter who we are, no matter what. Help us to obey Your commandment. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:43-48.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus gives us a difficult commandment in this passage – “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. The instruction to love our neighbor as ourselves is hard enough, but love our enemies? That’s pretty tough, Lord!

Jesus asks us to be an example to the world, to show the children of God choose love instead of indifference or hate. He tells us even those who have no relationship with God love their own people and those who treat them well. Those who claim the name of Jesus are called to do more.

Jesus always asks more of us because we have been given more. No, God doesn’t love us more than others – God is love and His love is given equally to all His people. However, our relationship to God compels us to be more and do more. This is how the world will know we are Christians – by our love.

Gracious God, Your love extends to all of creation, blessing everyone to be connected to You through that love. Let us be a channel for Your love, that by our words and actions all nations may know Your saving mercy. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:13-20.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:13-20

Salt, light and the law – Jesus gives us an example of familiar things, how we are like them and how God can use us for the advancement of His kingdom. Jesus blesses us through His teaching that we may better understand our relationship with God and what is expected of us as His children. Lessons like this also help us explain His love to others.

Salt is more than just a seasoning for flavor, it can also purify and preserve, as we are called to purify and preserve God’s creation. We hear from the scriptures “God is the light; in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). As His followers we are to be reflections of His light for all to see, to guide them back to the connection He intends for us.

God’s unchanging word is the law we must live by. Jesus tells us He has come to show us how to apply this in our lives, to be God’s people through our obedience. We are chosen for His purpose, to do His will and share His love with everyone.

Gracious God, we are grateful for Your love and mercy towards us. Help us to be useful in Your creating work, to show others the joy of a relationship with You. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:13-20.

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:20

How righteous is righteous enough? Jesus tells us the bar is high, that we must outperform even the leaders of the faith. This sounds pretty hard until we realize that God has the same expectations for all of us.

The Pharisees and teachers of the law Jesus uses as a standard were extremely involved in the study of God’s commandments and their application in everyday life. However, their way of living out the law was often expressed by pointing out the wrongdoing of others and ensuring the proper penalty was applied. Jesus tells us this misses the intent God has for us.

Jesus said the teachings of the law and the Prophets would not pass away (Matthew 5:18), that these were commandments from our constant and unchanging God. Jesus wants us to understand these from our hearts, that we might live them out in love rather than unfeeling application, from a relationship with God instead of fear of punishment or rebuke.

Loving Lord, help us to see that living under Your law for us is a blessing, not a burden. Show us how to use the gift of Your word to order our lives in obedience and love for You. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 5:13-20.

Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:19

Jesus gives us a warning in this passage to follow the word of God carefully. He tells us we must not neglect the least of His commands nor teach others to ignore even the smallest instruction. When we let something slip, even small things, it is an example to others.

Our behavior is watched by people, Christian and non-Christian. Rightly or not, they judge us for our beliefs and how well we represent them in the world. God has called His people from slavery to sin and death to be “a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6). Our actions send a signal to others about God, our relationship with Him and His desire for us all to be saved.

It is not easy to have our actions constantly on display. Jesus knew how hard this was – His every move was observed by those who loved and supported Him as well as those who plotted against Him. When we are weak and fall into error, we must own our actions, admit the fault and ask forgiveness. The world may hold our mistakes against us but God is always willing to show mercy to those who repent.

Gracious God, we don’t always obey Your word and we find ourselves in difficult circumstances. Help us to turn away from sin and be faithful followers of Your plan for us. Amen.