“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Psalm 23:5 NIV
Who is your enemy? I guess that’s not a question we Christians ask very often. I mean “Who is your neighbor?”…sure. “Who are the people I am called to minister to?”…maybe; But “Who is my enemy?”
Are we even allowed to have enemies? Are we permitted to view other people as enemies? I guess so, because someone is going to be in the group of people watching us chow down at the Shulchan!
The thing is we don’t choose our enemies. They choose us. As Christians we are counselled not to take revenge, strike back, or even feel hate in our heart towards anybody. That aside we are permitted to be realistic about people who have less than our best interests at heart.
An enemy in Psalm 23 is pictured as a person who harasses us or rises against us to hinder us from accomplishing our created purpose. I suppose that definition takes things out of the traditional “enemy” realm. I want to pose that sometimes it might be possible to even be friendly with our enemies. How many friends have you had who were “no good” for you? You know it’s the person who keeps you from fully pursuing Jesus but at the same time makes you deliriously happy.
I suppose some of those friendly enemies will be gathered around our banqueting tables to watch us feast, but forever kept from feasting with us….In light of that fact I find I cannot hate my enemies. Now more than ever I pity them and wish them to become real friends.
As you read who did you find yourself praying for?
Reinventing the We'll 
I found that I was praying for myself first because sometimes I’m my own worst enemy. My prayer is that I will respond in love sooner versus reacting initially to the situation. Please God help me to be more Christ like with my enemies and show them that through you we can love our enemies. Thank you, Lord, for all the mercies you have given to me and I pray I am able to give my enemies mercies as well.
As He has forgiven so He has place in us the ability to forgive!
I won’t say . . .but I will say thank you for such an insightful post. God bless you, Pastor J.
May the names that came to mind draw you to a deeper mercy than you have ever known. Be blessed sister!
Thanks for sharing, Pastor J
My spirit groans …. but I find myself thanking God for His love and grace… May He save me from myself!
Blessings,
ann
And so He is in the process of doing! Be Blessed!
Great message, I too have often thought , who are my enemies and wondered if we were even supposed to have enemies. I didn’t feel I had any but you have opened my eyes that THEY CHOOSE US and they may just be there to “hinder us from accomplishing our created purpose”….powerful perspective! What and who attempt to rob us from that?? Thank you jellilie!
You are welcome Tom. I have found that some of my enemies have become so not by a conscious choice to be my enemies but by other choices that put them in direct opposition to God’s plans for my life and theirs. This is the saddest thing of all!