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Love Your Enemies · UCT Youth Daily Devotion

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  Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and welcome to another episode
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  of the United Church of Donga Youth Devotion.
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  Our Bible reading for today is taken from Luke chapter 6, verse 27 and 28.
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  It says, But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who
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  hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
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  Our theme, love your enemies.
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  Loving our enemies is a powerful calling from Jesus that challenges us to rise above our instincts.
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  While it may be difficult, it is essential for us as Christians to embrace this command.
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  The Bible teaches us that God is love, and we love because he first loved us.
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  In Romans 5 verse 8 to 9, the Apostle Paul reminds us that even while we were still sinners,
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  God demonstrated his profound love by sending his son to die on the cross,
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  rescuing us from eternal death.
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  As Christians, we were once enemies of God, yet through Christ we are reconciled with God.
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  Jesus encourages us to embrace a wonderful kind of love,
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  reminding us that as Christians we should reflect God's character in everything we say and do.
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  Since God is love, it's important for us to share that love with others.
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  It's usually easier to love those who love us back or those we feel a connection with.
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  But what about when it comes to loving someone who may have hurt us or spoken poorly about us?
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  This is a challenge we face, especially as young people.
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  Sometimes there are folks in our church or youth group that we just don't click
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  with, and that can lead to some tough feelings.
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  The Bible has so much to teach us about forgiveness.
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  Often when we think we've forgiven someone,
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  when we simply choose to ignore the hurt they caused or decide not to be mean
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  to them, While that's a step in the right direction,
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  it's important to remember that true forgiveness goes deeper than that.
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  Even those who may not have the best intentions can manage to hold back from being unkind.
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  Let's strive for a love that reflects God's character, even in challenging situations.
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  Jesus calls us to actively do good to our enemies, which can be daunting for us.
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  We're invited to turn the other cheek and embrace the transformative power of love. By doing good.
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  Blessing and praying for our enemies, we embody the essence of godliness.
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  This isn't about ignoring or merely pretending everything is forgiven.
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  It's about taking intentional action to uplift them.
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  Perhaps you can start by making them a cup of coffee, offering a thoughtful
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  gift, or praying earnestly for their well-being.
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  Although it may feel contrary to your natural instincts, rejoice in the fact
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  that you are fulfilling God's will.
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  So, what good deed will you choose to extend to your enemy today?
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  Consider a meaningful way to bless them and pray that they come to know the Lord Jesus Christ.
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  Also, ask God to transform both your heart and theirs, turning hate into love. Let us pray.
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  Lord Jesus, thank you for challenging me today to love my enemies.
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  I pray that you empower me to love them by actively doing good for them,
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  blessing them, and praying for them.
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  Fill me with your love, so I will continue to show your love to others daily.
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  In your precious name I pray, Amen.