Open Hearted Like Jesus
Friday, May 19, 2017
Open Hearted Like Jesus
Scripture:
Matthew 5: 43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors[j] do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Devotional:
“You have heard…..but I say…” was the theme of this entire section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. His Sermon. Oh, can you imagine? I walked the Mount in Israel believed to be the site where He gave this message, and tried my first Falafel in a little shop nearby. The hillside of the Mount was quiet, peppered with rocks and gentle, rolling hills. The silence of the setting brought my imagination to hearing the voice of Jesus sharing the Truth, echoing across the peaceful hillside.
Where would I have sat as Jesus shared, “Love your enemies”? What would have stirred in my heart as He assured me that doing things His Way would create a perfection in my soul? I would have wanted to be close to Him, to hear His voice, to see the light in His eyes as he turned them on me. I can imagine how deeply I would want to please Him. As I sit as His feet today, I still want this. I want to please my Master. I want to learn to love my enemies. I want to give preference to others, even when what they do or how they act doesn’t match my opinion of how they should be.
I’m really not there. I am so glad that Jesus took the time to put to us how He desires us to walk out this life, so that we can know His heart. He does not desire that we put burdens on one another. He desires that we embrace all, and that we choose to go deep into the recesses of our own hearts to allow the dregs to be pulled up and out, to dig into the muck and allow Him to remove the sludge of selfishness, pride and judgment so that we can be loving, and in due course like Him.
In my home, this looks like being kind, loving and embracing my family even when they do not demonstrate the character I believe they should have. It means not looking at them with a critical eye, not nitpicking when I could be praying and building them up, not focusing on their shortcomings as I see them but seeking the Lord for how to bless them.
In my community, it means recognizing that I am not capable of judging the hearts of those around me. It means being kind, open and loving when I feel like shutting down or shutting others out. It means not listing their mistakes, taking offense, making enemies of those around me.
I pray that today, God will work this more deeply in our hearts.
Prayer:
Father, I thank You that You made provision for Jesus to provide us with the most important messages we could hear. You give truth through Your Word. Let it dwell richly in us and in our home today.
I lift up my child(ren) and ask that they would have open hearts to know that they can be loving and inclusive of all.
I lift up (area of need) to Your Throne for remedy.
In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.
Open Hearted Like Jesus
Scripture:
Matthew 5: 43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors[j] do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Devotional:
“You have heard…..but I say…” was the theme of this entire section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. His Sermon. Oh, can you imagine? I walked the Mount in Israel believed to be the site where He gave this message, and tried my first Falafel in a little shop nearby. The hillside of the Mount was quiet, peppered with rocks and gentle, rolling hills. The silence of the setting brought my imagination to hearing the voice of Jesus sharing the Truth, echoing across the peaceful hillside.
Where would I have sat as Jesus shared, “Love your enemies”? What would have stirred in my heart as He assured me that doing things His Way would create a perfection in my soul? I would have wanted to be close to Him, to hear His voice, to see the light in His eyes as he turned them on me. I can imagine how deeply I would want to please Him. As I sit as His feet today, I still want this. I want to please my Master. I want to learn to love my enemies. I want to give preference to others, even when what they do or how they act doesn’t match my opinion of how they should be.
I’m really not there. I am so glad that Jesus took the time to put to us how He desires us to walk out this life, so that we can know His heart. He does not desire that we put burdens on one another. He desires that we embrace all, and that we choose to go deep into the recesses of our own hearts to allow the dregs to be pulled up and out, to dig into the muck and allow Him to remove the sludge of selfishness, pride and judgment so that we can be loving, and in due course like Him.
In my home, this looks like being kind, loving and embracing my family even when they do not demonstrate the character I believe they should have. It means not looking at them with a critical eye, not nitpicking when I could be praying and building them up, not focusing on their shortcomings as I see them but seeking the Lord for how to bless them.
In my community, it means recognizing that I am not capable of judging the hearts of those around me. It means being kind, open and loving when I feel like shutting down or shutting others out. It means not listing their mistakes, taking offense, making enemies of those around me.
I pray that today, God will work this more deeply in our hearts.
Prayer:
Father, I thank You that You made provision for Jesus to provide us with the most important messages we could hear. You give truth through Your Word. Let it dwell richly in us and in our home today.
I lift up my child(ren) and ask that they would have open hearts to know that they can be loving and inclusive of all.
I lift up (area of need) to Your Throne for remedy.
In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.
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