You're InvitedSample

You’re invited to pray for your enemies.

Jesus is all about going the extra mile. In Matthew 5:41, Jesus tells his Jewish listeners that if a Roman soldier ever asked them to carry his armor for one mile, which was allowed by Roman law, they should carry the armor for two miles instead. You can imagine what a shock this would be to any Roman soldier, considering most of the time, it was asked and done out of spite for one another.

Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus prompts his listeners to go above and beyond the expected. One area he preaches is our enemies, people we hate, people who hate us, and people who make our life difficult. He encourages us not only to love them but to pray for them.

Billy Graham once said, “it is impossible to pray for someone and hate them at the same time.” Have you ever taken time to pray for someone you dislike? What if, instead of being bitter towards them, we genuinely asked God to move in their life and bless them? It may not always change the person, but it will always change you.

Today write down three people you need to pray for that you might not always agree with. Ask God to soften your heart towards them and pray for their needs.