Day 33 -PERSECUTED

Matthew 5; John 8

PERSONAL DEVOTION

Lord,

I've been hurt. I rehearse the injustice done to me as I toss and turn sleeplessly. Why can’t these criticizers show common courtesy and kindness? What is the bitterness that has built in their souls to see me as an enemy and a non-person? Why do they shun ignore, slight, belittle, and use sarcasm to inflict pain? Why can I never do right before them? Do they realize they are tearing down what I am giving my life blood to build up? “All day long they twist my words; they are always plotting to harm me. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, eager to take my life." Psalm 56:6. They assign false motives to my actions. With an icy stare and a cold shoulder, they put me off. They plant seeds of doubt with others so they might grow as weeds to choke the wheat of those relationships.

Lord, tell me. Have I hurt them? Are they lashing out at some quirk of personality that rubs them the wrong way? Is there some specific incident where I have unintentionally mistreated them that I might make right? Search me, O God. Why can they not see the spark of your Spirit shining in me? When they analyze my life, can they not see beside the human imperfections the stiches where you performed the surgery of removing a heart of stone and gave a heart of flesh? Lord, it would be easy to allow their treatment of me to fester into resentment. Send Your Spirit to overcome my humanity.

Please keep me from throwing a pity party. It may be that these are well-intentioned dragons who do not even realize that they are breathing deadly fire. Use them to teach me love, humility, patience, and kindness. Lord, help me respond as you did when you were persecuted.

Scripture Study

Matthew 5:10-12, 43-47

1.       Do I feel blessed when I'm being persecuted?

How might it be a blessing?

What are the persecuted promised?

Who else WM persecuted in the same way?

2.       What is my responsibility in how I treat them?

What are the specifics I can do?

John 8:37-38, 40

1.       Did Jesus ever expose those who we're against Him?

Does it mean I am not loving if I expose their actions?

Did He expose Judas at the last supper? Matthew 26:23-25

Did He expose him at Gethsemane? Luke 22:48

Did Jesus confront those who were against Him?

Does the confrontation sound kind?

2.       Did the Pharisees see Jesus as a Spiritual Man? John 8:14-48

Was Jesus a threat to them?

Did they feel neglected by Jesus?

Did they see their own need? John 8:33, 41

Could I think I was in Jesus' role and really be in that of the Pharisees?

What is the test to determine this? John 8:47

Prayer

Lord, let me learn the lessons I need to from persecution.  Remind me that everything that comes to me is filtered through Your love to me, that You have a divine plan to do more than I could possibly imagine. That it is not all about me. That all that You let come to me has the stamp of the results of an omniscient God.  I remind myself that You never said that nothing will come to me that I cannot handle. You only promised to be there when it all overwhelms me, and admittedly is more than I can handle but not what “we” can handle.  Help me not forget in the process that I am Your favored Child.

Amen