Daily Devotion (August 23, 2024)
(This is a little long)
Psalm 86:15 “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.”
King David had enemies. His enemies were proud, violent, ignorant, and indifferent to the God of Israel. David’s focus was not on the enemy. His focus was on God. The greatest enemy we face is not the people that surround us. The enemy of the Christian is Satan. Many times, our worst enemy is ourselves.
The follower of Christ. The one who has accepted Christ in his life must show love and compassion the enemy of Christ. (Just think of the pain and suffering they are enduring in their lives now and the eternal suffering the will face after death.)
Jesus taught us to Love our enemies. Matthew 5:44 “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.”
Paul taught that we are to forgive others as God has forgiven us. Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Paul writes in Romans 12:20 that followers of Christ are to show kindness to our enemies.
Romans 12:20 “Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” (Coals of fire were not to harm but to help.)
Exodus 34:6 “And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.” These are attributes of God. These same attributes should be working in our lives as follower’s Christ.
I read this story about Corrie ten Boom’s story is a powerful testament to forgiveness. After World War II, Corrie encountered a former Nazi guard from Ravensbrück concentration camp, where her sister Betsie had died. This guard approached her after she had given a talk in a church in Munich in 1947. He had become a Christian and sought her forgiveness for his actions during the war12.
Corrie initially struggled to forgive him, remembering the suffering and death of her sister. However, she prayed for God’s help and ultimately extended her hand in forgiveness, embodying the very message of God’s compassion and forgiveness that she preached12.
This act of forgiveness is an intense example of how faith can empower individuals to show compassion, even in the most challenging circumstances. It also highlights the transformative power of forgiveness, both for the person forgiving and the one being forgiven.
My own story of forgiveness does not come close to Corrie Ten Booms, but it is just as real. I have been hurt by people in the past, close friends. They did some things to me that hurt me badly. I held anger and animosity in my spirit for years. It was not until I let go of the anger and animosity and was willing to forgive that I was set free to pursue God’s calling in my life.