Within the Lines

Who Is My Enemy?

Caing Guek Eav, known as Comrade Duch, ran a Phnom Penh torture center and admits responsibility for 12,000-14,000 deaths (as written about in World Magazine, May 17/24 issue, by Marvin Olasky).  Many would struggle to forgive him and, certainly, to call him "brother" rather than "enemy".  Pastor Christopher LaPel only recently discovered that the kind and gentle man he'd baptized was responsible for the deaths of his (LaPel's) parents, brother and sister.  LaPel says, "If Jesus can change Eav, he can change anyone."

Perhaps this is why Jesus said, "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you."  Our enemies can be those, like Eav, who persecute and torment us, or maybe just the one who irritates us at work.  Sometimes our friends become our enemies, some days our husbands or kids feel like our enemies.  God knows how easily we can feel that someone is our enemy; we classify as enemy anyone that hurts us.  We don't look into the heart, or the future, like He is able to do.

However, I've recently begun to wonder if there's a distinction between an enemy of ours and an enemy of God's.  We are to pray for and love our enemies, but there are rare times when God indicates He doesn't want me to pray for someone.  They, so far, have never been enemies of mine; just someone I've heard of or know thru someone else.  As I pray, I am told, in no uncertain terms, that I am not to pray for this person, and just in case I doubt, it's usually accompanied suddenly by a complete inability to form thoughts or words to pray.  It does seem as tho He expects different actions from us toward an enemy of ours and an enemy of His.  I see evidence even in the stories of the Old Testament that this may be true.  Of course, this requires care that we don't determine someone to be God's enemy based on our own understanding.

So, have you experienced this?  Do you think maybe there might be a difference in God's expectations of us toward our enemies and His?

Untitled Comment

{ 08:12, Sunday, May 25, 2008 } { Posted by Stacy E. }

This is the first time I have ever heard someone mention this idea, but I find it to be SOOO encouraging! Instantly a time came to mind when I really felt there was no point in praying about a certain situation anymore - that it was best just to let it go. There was no 'oomf' in my prayers - during a time when I was walking really close with God. Biblically, there was instruction to pray for this, but there was equal instruction on a "time limit" if you will, to let it go. Hopefully this is not extremely confusing without going into details!

P.S. I love pretty much all your posts!