Love your enemies

The amazing love of Jesus who can make us love our enemies, not in a superficial manner by quickly glancing over their wrongs which actually is a subtle form of denial. No, a genuine truthful love that enables us to fully acknowledge what our abusers have done to us, the pain and damage they caused us and then wholeheartedly forgive them and ask God to pour His love in our hearts. This will allow the river of living water, the love of God to flow from our hearts and view both ourselves, our abusers and the bystanders with compassion instead of anger and hatred. In the words of the concentration camp survivor Corrie Ten Boom who through Gods help forgave the traitor who betrayed her and also forgave the torturers and murderers of her family: I cannot forgive in my own strength, but Christ in me can do it! And it is so true, so liberating, wonderfully true.

And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior’s blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me