Peace and love with those we call "enemy"

I am sooooo very tired as I type this, but I'm trying to persevere as the clock strikes almost midnight. No rest for the weary momma.

If you read my blog regularly, you know that my Monday posts (now almost Tuesday) are written for my precious church families that I have the privilege of serving each week at church.
We began a series a few weeks ago and I wanted to help keep us connected by writing a brief summary or my own "food for thought" from what the sermon was about on Sunday.

Well....how do you like this title.....

"Prince of Peace"

Sounds simple and easy doesn't it??

Ummmmm......no, it's not.

Because this particular week, our pastor used war as its backdrop for peace preaching.

Hello???!!! This is deep, hard, thought provoking stuff.

Matthew 5:43-48

43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[b] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons 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. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Well, this is fine and all until you throw in the three letter word of w-a-r. How in the world do we love our enemies when we want to strangle people, shake some sense into them, and can't figure out for the life of us, what in the world they are thinking????!!!!!

I'm not venturing down that road because honestly, I'm too tired and have to go back to MS to play baseball soon so I just can't handle the deep thoughts right now, much less explain them.

So....I'll simply ask this question....

"How do we believe in Jesus, follow His ways, seek Him through His Word, and then go out and kill people in war?"

It's a tough one and something I have swirled around and around in my mind. I have my own thoughts and my own opinions, but I'm not going down that road.

I just want to encourage you to think, pray, and explore a bit more of what Jesus means when He tells us to love our enemies and what that love should look like. What exactly did Jesus mean?

This is good stuff. I can't wait to hear what you might have to say.

I love you all. Have a great week. I've got 101 pix coming soon. :)
Hugs and blessings~
Fran