Love Your Enemy By Pete BriscoeShembull

He asks the impossible

Every advancing step I take toward my goal of comfort is yet another retreating step I take away from God’s goal of the impossible. —Craig D. Lounsbrough

It seems a little cliché, right? To look at something impossible and say, “Nothing is impossible with God!”

But it’s not trite if it’s true.

When Jesus told us to love our enemies, I believe He knew we’d require His help in order to succeed. I believe He knew it was an impossible task apart from Him.

Recently, I was reading God’s instructions to Israel regarding the construction of the tabernacle. He gave detailed instructions. Tapestries were to be designed and made. The Ark of the Covenant needed to be constructed and put together. Then there was the lid to the Ark of the Covenant, which required both cherubim and seraphim to be carved out of a single piece.

As I read through the instructions, I felt sorry for the Israelites. I mean, here they are with a 400-year history of being shepherds and brick makers in Egypt. And suddenly God takes them into the wilderness—with no tools, no kilns—and asks them to create something magnificent. God wanted world-class art right in the middle of the desert.

Sometimes God asks His people to do really hard things. But watch how He provides.

In Exodus 31:2-3, the Lord said to Moses, “I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri… and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills – to make artistic designs…”

Basically, the Lord gave a man hard instructions. Then the Lord empowered a man to complete the impossible.

So when Jesus tells those who are listening to love their enemies, what He is saying is this: “I want you to do this impossible thing, and I will enable you to do as I ask.”

How? In the same way Bezalel created incredible art in the desert—through the empowering Holy Spirit.

Jesus, what freedom it is to admit Your instructions are hard—impossible! Thank You for exposing my own limitations with Your desire. In this impossibility of loving my enemies, I lean into You. Empower me to release Your love in the most difficult of relationships. Amen.