[Before we begin today I want to give a quick disclaimer. The artwork I made for today was heavily inspired by the Red Lantern Corps from DC Comics because they are a group that uses rage as their power source. The Red Lantern Corps’, their official emblems, logos, and oaths belong to DC Comics and their affiliates. I am just a nerd who likes things I consider to be cool like stories about superheroes and villains.]
Most of us know the pain of loss. It can be a small thing that we’ve lost or a grand opportunity that we’ve been bereft of. But in the end, we all have had that feeling to some degree and it causes within us a sense of sorrow and longing for what we have lost. Sometimes, it is easy to get back but others not so much.
Physical items can be replaced and plans can be recreated to make up for lost time but we will never get back in the truest sense of the words whatever it was to begin with. Time is the one thing that can never be truly replaced. Once it is spent there is no refund. For this reason, Paul instructs the members of the Church in Ephesus to be careful how they live their lives and spend their days.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV)
I have read through Ephesians many times and find it has a lot of instruction on Christian living. Many of Paul’s letters were to Gentiles and thus they didn’t come from the Jewish background of morals and standards of behavior. In his letter to the church located in Rome, he provides them instructions to not let the pattern of this world and their desires control them but to instead have these elements of their being transformed into Godliness as modeled by Christ. (Romans 12:1-2) At the end of this same segment he includes the topic of vengeance and getting back at others. In the context of the letter he is working to mend the divisions that had erupted between Jewish and Gentile members of the church but this applies to all of us.
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21 (NIV)
Returning to Ephesians he expresses a sentiment similar to what he recorded at the beginning of Romans 12.
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:25-32 (NIV)
All of these verses show how we are meant to be different from this world we live in. But we are still human with emotions and needs. We understand the concepts of justice and want others to treat us fairly. That desire is what causes anger to form when we are slighted in any way.
Many of us have been taught by society to forgive and not hold grudges because of the Christian principle of universal and unconditional forgiveness. The type that they who wronged us don’t deserve because we ourselves have received something that we don’t deserve. When the scripture tells us things we ought not to do is because it’s the natural inclination of our sinful nature.
Vengeance is an old thing in history second to pride. I have heard it postulated that bringing about humanity’s downfall is Satan’s revenge for being cast out of heaven after his rebellion failed and was condemned to hell. Both of these ancient vices have become the inherited nature of man since our fall. Pride was the first and then came placing blame on others which when fully grown will lead to a desire to get revenge on that which has been blamed.
Because of pride, we believed we knew better when we ate the forbidden fruit and chose to decide for ourselves right from wrong. In doing so we took over God’s proper place in our lives and removed Him from the place of judge, jury, and executioner. Trust was lost in that action and now instead of being our default setting, we must choose each day to trust in Him.
What we want is to have our pain removed or for it to be validated as unfair. The promise in Revelation chapter 21 is that Christ shall remove our tears and bind up the brokenhearted. Pain and death shall be no more for those who trust in Him. This means He understands and will help us in the long process of healing for some wounds are very deep and have festered for a long time. But humble surrender will let the process continue.
It is difficult; for surrendering to Christ comes with the demand of our complete obedience to His commands. And the most important part of this process is learning to love them as God does. He died for them as well since they are humans befallen by sin and may not know of the impact they’ve had on you. All have sinned and thus all need the salvation which Christ gives freely to those who repent and seek to be alive in the way he wants them to live.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45 (NIV)
Remember they lived in a desert climate and rain means life or mercy is given to both the just and unjust. If God is willing to give life and mercy to both just and unjust then we must obey and follow His example of how we give mercy to others. When the Bible tells us to do something in the sections of spiritual instruction it is for the reason of bringing us closer to God. Prayer puts us into direct communion with God and is meant to invite Holy Spirit to have the natural in and out flow through our own spirits. Praying for those we consider our enemies will be difficult to do. But it must be done for it allows our hearts to be changed.
From my own life, I can testify that the more I’ve prayed for my enemy the more I see them as God sees them. And I begin to have my anger replaced with sorrow for I know that they need salvation from sin and that God wants for none to perish. For the women who are victims of the abortion industry, my heart breaks as they suffer the pain and loss that comes from it. Those who are an active part of it I express my lament as they have the blood of innocent millions on their hands as a group.
Those who put forth ideas that destroy lives and lead others into harm my heart will often react with an inferno of anger that the Spirit of the Lord must always tamp back down into prayers for opened eyes. We see the wrongs in this world and what we truly want is for it all to stop. We see no other way that can bring this about but to end those who are active in this mission that brings forth these outcomes. But when we look at the world we must not forget the word of the Lord that came to Samuel as he inspected the sons of Jesse to find the next king of Israel.
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1st Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
When things impact our hearts and we find anger along with rage directed at groups growing within us we must pray and take some key steps in our own life. First, we need to ask for our own hearts replaced with hearts of forgiveness so that we do not hold on to the emotions that cause our downfall. Secondly, begin to pray over the people who do actions that cause our emotions to stir up for in doing this we will cultivate a heart of compassionate mercy that understands they are fallen people ignorant of their fallen nature. A heart that learns to desire their salvation from sin, deception, and death. This transforms our hate into hope for we become focused on the one who can truly fix the root cause of our problems. Thirdly and finally, all of us must pray for their hearts to be changed through the revelation of Jesus Christ to them. He can change hearts and turn murderers into martyrs of the faith, rebels will become the redeemed rescuers, and scoundrels can be made into the saviors of others. But this will only happen if we are willing to trust God and align our prayers with His will to save the lost. Our vengeance comes from our hurts but it will fade as we let Him in so we can heal.
Until next time,
Courage and Godspeed!