"Beyond the Attack" - 11/05/14 - Matthew 23, Luke 20-21

"There's no telling who will hate you because of Me.   Even so, every detail of your body and soul - even the hairs of your head! - is in My care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it - that's what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry; you'll be saved. (Luke 21:17-19)

Hate.    Such a powerful emotion. 

I have strongly disliked the way a person has acted, but to actually hate someone is something I haven't felt towards another.  There have been those I have chosen to set boundaries up in my life, but I don't want them dead or worse.  I have never felt towards anyone as Cain did towards Abel.  Even when someone has hurt one I love.  There were moments when I have wanted to bash someone's face in, but not hard enough to kill them. 

On the flip side, there are those who have a strong dislike and perhaps hatred towards me.  There have been times I have been attacked and my instant reflex is to become defensive.  There have been times when someone has wanted to destroy me, but as of yet,  not kill me.  These times have caused me to search my heart for my sins and repent, ask for forgiveness.  These attacks have opened my eyes to see sometimes the dislike or hatred is there because of my relationship with Him.  There are some who don't like His Light revealing their darkness and as His, I become a scapegoat. 

It is through His Word that my heart is being transformed. 

He gives us an account in Scriptures of those whose hatred for Christ was driving them to kill Him.  They were plotting, trying to entrap, any which way they could come up with, to be rid of Him. 
Christ knew all of what was in their hearts and spoke angrily of their actions. 

The wonderment of our Savior though, is if you read carefully in the verses today, His anger was because of all those they were hindering or leading astray from Him.  He never took what they did personal.

Never. 

Even on His way and upon The Cross. 

He looked beyond their actions, into their hearts, and what He saw brought about sorrowfulness, not hatred towards them.  He continually gave to them the opportunity to change their hearts and give up "self" for Him. 

This is the Christlike attitude I pray to achieve.  To love all as He loves.  To not take personal, looking beyond the attacks, into their hearts and pray for them.  To not hear, see, their dislike or hatred towards me, but to see them - standing outside of our ABBA.  Lost.  Angry.  Bitter.  Full of the world.  Full of self. 

To completely accept - no matter what - it isn't my job to protect or defend "me". 
To believe without any doubt whatsoever - He has me covered - "every detail of my body and soul - even the hairs of my head!"