Praying for God's Mercy for our Enemies

I am far from being a squishy bleeding hearted liberal, but God has dealt with me in a rather unusual way concerning the proper Christian response to the Boston Marathon bomber that is being held. Further, He also dealt with me concerning a proper response to all terrorist activities, as well as our conflicts with other nations.

Last week, I was as shocked and horrified as anyone to hear about the bombing of the Boston Marathon. In the course of the next few days, I prayed that the terrorists who were responsible would be brought to justice, but my heart was very heavy with mourning. This did not change even as the dragnet brought both men into the light and to justice.

I began to seek the Lord concerning the heaviness of my spirit, especially as opposed to the fury and rage that I heard from other quarters. Then the Lord began to speak to me saying, "You feel the call of My Spirit calling you to pray for your enemies. I commanded that you love and pray for those who are your enemies. This young man is one of many that you have, and so I have given you a burden to pray for him."

Then Jesus took me to Matt. 5:44-45 and Luke 6:27-28, 35-36. Further, He instructed me to not pray for judgment upon this terrorist, but rather that he be shown the love and mercies of God. He told me of His desire to see this young Muslim brought into the full light of the truth. Then He continued to take me through His Word.

"How many people revere the Apostle Paul for his actions in spreading the Gospel throughout the world, writing letters to the churches, and providing crucial leadership to the Gentile churches? Yet, he was just such a man as this. He was present at the stoning of Stephen, and terrorized the saint in the churches of Israel and the surrounding lands. But look what My mercy wrought in him. I can take the darkest life, and make it clean. But who will stand in prayer to see that My mercy is brought forth?"

I know that this will not be a popular concept, nor will it even be accepted even by most who claim to be Christian, but God has said that we should not be angry with the terrorists, for they are in bondage to the deceptions of Satan, which is a fate far worse than death. We should rather then mourn for them as those who perish if they are not reached in time.

As Christians, we are called to be a light, and to reach with the Gospel to every sin stained soul. This is whether or not they deserve the mercy that we request for them. Are we not all guilty too often of the shedding of blood in the privacy of our own hearts? Are we then not under the same Divine penalty as Dzhakhar Tsarnaer and his brother? Have we not often been guilty of anger with another without cause, and had to repent? Have we not been guilty of hundreds of infractions of the Law as this young man?

"As I have shown great mercy toward you, so you should be willing to show great mercy to those who have hurt you, and are your enemy," was also told me by Jesus.

I now ask, will you join with me in asking for the mercies of God to be extended to this terrorist, no matter what the final outcome of his prosecution by the government. He will have to pay his debt to the society that he flagrantly attacked, but this is not a legitimate cause to hate him. Let us then pray that the Lord will open his eyes to the full truth of both his great crimes, but also to his need for Jesus Christ to become the Savior that He died on the cross to be for all of us.

Let us become more like the Christ we claim and say with Him as He hung upon the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:24)