The Upper Room Devotional 16th December 2023
The Upper Room Devotional 16th December 2023, Saturday Message by Steven R. Schlesselman (Oklahoma, USA)
TOPIC: Loving Our Enemies
TODAY’S READING
Matthew 5:43-48
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. – Matthew 5:44 (KJV)
The Upper Room Devotional 16th December 2023 MESSAGE:
When my mother and I fell victim to a phone scam, I not only felt ashamed, embarrassed, and stupid — I also felt angry. My first impulse was to wish harm upon the people who had deceived us.
I immediately called my sisters to tell them what had happened, expecting them to be angry. But the first thing my youngest sister said to me were words Jesus taught us. She told me to pray for the people who had hurt us! She told me not to hate them or let my anger overwhelm me.
One of the most challenging lessons Jesus taught us is to love our enemies. Our human instinct is to strike out at those who hurt us. But Jesus calls us to a higher standard. Instead of filling ourselves with hate and anger toward those who harm us, we are to pray for them. Jesus did this even as he hung on the cross.
It wasn’t easy, but I listened to my sister. Indeed, my anger dissipated. My embarrassment still lingers, but I have let go of my anger. Today I hope those people will be blessed and come to know Jesus and a better way of life.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank you for your good example and for teaching us how to love our enemies. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I don’t have to hold on to anger toward those who hurt me.
PRAYER FOCUS
Victims and perpetrators of phone scams
The Upper Room is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. The meditations are stories of real people working to live faithfully with the Bible as their touchstone. Every day, readers of The Upper Room around the world read the same story in many different languages and pray the same prayer together.
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