When Jesus told us to “LOVE our enemies”(Matthew 5:44), He added “PRAY for those who persecute you”. If you love someone, you pray for them. That’s what Jesus believed. I wonder what would happen if we really did? If not only my friends and family, but also my enemies were included in my daily prayers. If big enemies and small, Islamic terrorists and “friends” who have been critical all got the same treatment– prayer? C. S. Lewis prayed every night for the people he was most tempted to hate. His list included Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini. What if we did the same? What if we prayed, as Jesus did on the cross, “Father forgive them” and transferred the burden of this wearisome task to His broad shoulders? What if we prayed “Forgive US” (both our enemies and ourselves in one foul package)? When Jesus told us to love our enemies, He knew that we would need to pray for them.
