What “enemies” do you have in your life? If you were to ask me who the enemies are in my life, I might look at you like you’re crazy. I can’t think of anyone that I would consider an enemy. I can point to people in history or around the world that might be considered “enemies” of the United States or Christianity. But enemies in my own life?
I suppose it depends how you define enemy. Instead of the traditional sense of the word, what if we define it as those people who continually frustrate you, that keep hurting you, that make your life miserable every chance they get. I can certainly point to some of those people and you probably can as well.
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34
Did you know the Bible describes you and me as enemies of God? Prior to Jesus’ death on the cross, that’s what we were. And yet Jesus, in His final moments before death, called out to the Father on behalf of His enemies—on behalf of us.
What great love! Jesus was whipped, beaten, tortured–not just by the guards that day but by you. And me. We held the hammer and the nail along with the guards that day. We were in the crowd taunting Him that Friday afternoon to “save himself” as He saved others. We were enemies of God.
Yet Jesus prayed for us in His final moments. Then He died that we might no longer be enemies of God, but instead be called friends.