Daily Prayer: 06/13

Matthew 5:43-46 “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 sons of your Father in heaven…If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” Lord Jesus, your teachings in your sermon on the mount are very lovely and difficult. They are lovely in that you picture the kind of disciple that you can produce and they are difficult in that we have so much to overcome within ourselves if we are to fulfill them.

Help us to love instead of hate, to be graceful instead of resentful, to be prayerful instead of poutful. This is the only way that we can show that you make any difference in our lives. Otherwise, we are Christians only in name.

You have tremendous power over our human nature for you have given us a divine nature through the indwelling of your Holy Spirit. And that makes all the difference.

Amen.