The Lord will Avenge
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
Romans 12:19
We are instructed by the Lord not to avenge, but to point lost souls to Christ by reflecting God’s love. In the last days, we see people doing evil. But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. (2 Timothy 3:1-4) We hate the sin these people do but never have vengeful thoughts because we leave vengeance in the Lord’s hands. We show love to everyone in hopes that many souls have hearts to listen. We pray for the Lord to lead us to hearts that will listen.
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44) We reflect God’s love to everyone including our enemies, in person, if possible, but always in prayer. Our desire is for all souls to know Christ through prayer and through our ministry. We never desire for anyone to experience God’s vengeance because everyone was created in the image of God. Even the most evil person has some good in them. All Christians look for the good in others.
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12) This verse says that love of most will grow cold, but a true Christian’s love never grows cold — love just gets stronger in our hearts. Never entertain thoughts of vengeance, but pray instead. Vengeance leads to hate and hate destroys love. Leave all vengeance in the hands of God.
Today, reflect God’s love and kindness to everyone and remember God’s love is unconditional. God loves everyone but hates sin, and we are to do the same.
Prayer: Lord, help me to never have a thought about vengeance, but to always have a heart filled with Your love. May I reflect that love to others especially the lost. In Jesus name, Amen