July 23, 2026

Dear Central Church,

There are some commands of Jesus that feel almost intuitive: love your family, care for those in need, forgive others. They aren't always easy, but at least they make sense.

Then there's this: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)

If we're honest, most of us would prefer almost any spiritual discipline over that one. I'd rather read another chapter of my Bible, sing another worship song, or volunteer for another ministry project than sincerely pray that God would bless someone who has hurt me.

And yet, Jesus ends this teaching with one of the most breathtaking invitations in all of Scripture: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48).

That can sound intimidating until we remember the context. Jesus isn't talking about flawless performance. He's describing the kind of mature, wholehearted love that reflects the very heart of our Father—a love that extends even to those who don't deserve it. After all, God "causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

It makes me wonder if praying for our enemies isn't just one more difficult command to obey. What if it's one of God's greatest tools for shaping us into the likeness of Christ? Few practices expose our hearts more honestly. Few practices stretch our capacity to love more deeply. And few practices remind us more clearly that God's grace has reached us, too.

This Sunday, we'll continue our Watch and Pray series by exploring one of Jesus' most challenging—and most transformative—teachings. I'd love for you to join us as we explore this truth that the journey to becoming more like Jesus goes through the rugged and arduous terrain of praying for our enemies. On our own, we’ll always be tempted to take the shortcut, but with the Lord’s help, we can walk this road that few will find.   

I'll see you Sunday!

Always Hopeful,
Pastor Mark