Command 10 : Love Your Enemies | Day 67

Be a Power Channel!

Recently, a man named Steve* called me to discuss a tragedy in his life and marriage. During our conversation, he literally broke down and wept. The frustration of years of trying to make his life and marriage work all came pouring out.

Anyone who saw this family would never have guessed they were having such serious problems. Steve had an attractive wife, Janet, and bright, happy sons and daughters. The tragedy was that he and his wife had become "enemies," and he had fallen in love with another woman.

The most grievous "enemies" are those whose love has turned to hate because of offenses and disillusionment.

The pattern of destruction in this marriage is all too common. Steve and Janet certainly expected to have a happy marriage; however, little offenses and wrong attitudes began to build up between them. Soon, Janet began withholding her affection from Steve.

He also saw growing evidences that she was not under his spiritual authority and was not looking to him for counsel or decisions. At this vulnerable point, the other woman came into his life. She offered him everything that he was lacking in his marriage, and he found himself helplessly controlled by passions that he hated and knew were wrong.

In a desperate attempt to salvage his marriage, Steve broke off his relationship with the other woman. He confessed that this was tremendously difficult for him, because any feelings of love he once had for his wife seemed to be dead. I assured him that the nature of genuine love means it cannot be killed. (See I Corinthians 13.)

Within ourselves we do not have the capacity to genuinely love others. It is only as we make the Lord our first love that He will give us the unconditional love we need for other people, including enemies.

When Steve said that his goal was to restore his marriage, I told him that this should not be his main goal. Rather, he should seek to restore his first love for the Lord, which he readily admitted he had lost. So, we read Revelation 2:2-5: “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience .... Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick ....”

The failed marriage was a by-product of a failed relationship with the Lord. Therefore, to avoid similar destroyed relationships, let's renew our first love for the Lord so we can be channels through which He can freely give His powerful light and love to others, including our enemies.

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*Names have been changed.