Say What?

Today's passages: Genesis 15 & Luke 6:27-49

Scripture:
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour out on your lap a good measure - pressed down, shaken together, and running over - For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you." Luke 6:37-38

Observation:
Say what? Love my enemies? Bless those who curse me? Loan to those who have no intent on repaying me? Pray for those who mistreat me? How is this possible and why does God ask me to do something so illogical? There are many questions created by this passage.

Application:
In all of the Bible, there is not a harder passage of scripture for me to digest than Luke 6:27-38. Life is tough. Bad things happen and most often they happen to me at the hands of another person. In those moments, God calls for a behavior that is quiet different from what my natural response is.

Prayer:
Father, as I try to apply this passage to my life I must admit I can not even write about how to do it. There is much in me stirred up against this passage. My heart is nowhere near being in alignment with this teaching. There is no need in me pretending. I judge. I condemn. I withhold gifts. I confess that to You this morning as my sin.

I do not want to be that way anymore. I read this passage and though it is outside of what is even possible for me to comprehend, there is something in it that appeals to me. I am tired of all the garbage I carry around that has been left by the hands of others. There are scars I wear everyday which remind me of rotten deals I have gotten. The memories of those things have become worse than the events themselves. I want to release them to You today. Holding on to them has only brought me pain.

Help me now to not judge, to not condemn, and to withhold nothing from anyone. Judgment and condemnation belong to You alone. You are my rock, my deliverer, and my defender. I no longer desire justice, but only long for peace. Your mercy towards me is far greater than anything I deserve. You have forgiven me so much in my life. It is foolish of me to not offer the same to others. Teach me to walk in Your good measure of peace and avoid giving myself away to bitterness and anger.