Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional for Today March 21, 2025

TOPIC: THE HEAVENLY LIFESTYLE

TEXT: Matthew 5:43-48(NKJV)

• 5:43. ” You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
• 5:44. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
• 5:45. “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
• 5:46. “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
• 5:47. “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more [than others?] Do not even the tax collectors do so?
• 5:48. “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

STUDY:

Science and philosophy believe in the action-reaction principle which states that an action is simply a force applied on an object which generates a resulting reaction. This is the principle that the natural man applies in loving only those who love him and hating those who hate him.

Jesus teaches that the lifestyle of heaven differs very much from this principle. In verses 43-44, He teaches us to love and pray for those who hate and persecute us. The reason for this injunction is that love for the unlovable shows that we are different(v.46b). Again, it shows the nature of God who also gives his blessings to underserving wicked men (v.45), and attracts heavenly reward (v.46) and perfection (v.48).

A man once forcefully took over land belonging to his Christian relatives and threatened openly to use charms to kill anyone who resisted him. Shortly after, he died and the villagers mocked him and said God had revenged the helpless Christians. However, the same Christian relatives were led by God to contribute funds to train the dead man’s children and also provide for his widow yearly.

This unusual response left the villagers amazed. As God’s child, have you been retaliating when you are maltreated by family members, officemates, business associates, etc.? Jesus is calling you to a different lifestyle-for you are not of this world. He expects you to radiate his nature as a citizen of heaven so that your actions will match your message of eternal life.

PRAYER:

Dear Father; please help me to radiate your nature to all I associate with, in Jesus’ Name.

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