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…’ Matthew 5:43-44

Heavenly Father,

Because you have first loved us, 

we plead with you to give us the love 

that doesn’t come naturally 

for those who have hurt us 

or made life difficult for us.

The world tells us to stand up for our rights, 

to make sure no one takes advantage of us; 

you tell us to move toward our enemies in love, 

and to pray for those who persecute us. 

By your Spirit, and in your Word, 

you’ve given us ideas 

for how to pray and how to love:

We pray for the difficult people in our lives (and for ourselves)…

To “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…” (Ephesians 3:19);

To know your perfect love, for “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:19);

To believe that you are “a God merciful and gracious, 

slow to anger, 

and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6);

To “turn away from evil and do good” (Psalm 34:14);

To “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).

Father, make us persistent in these prayers, 

and make us consistent in living out the hope of reconciliation 

we have in Jesus Christ.

In Jesus’ enemy-loving name. Amen.

Read Matthew 5:43-48; Psalm 34:14; Ephesians 3:19; 1 John 4:19.

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.