So, I finished reading the book “a Generous Orthodoxy” by Brian D. McLaren. A central theme or idea to the entire book is that whatever your orthodoxy (right belief, but what is “right” belief?) it should affect your orthopraxy (right practice). I would agree with McLaren that what you believe (whether we are of the same faith or not) is less of a concern to me than what you practice. This central practice is what Christ taught; loving your neighbor, who might very well be your enemy.
In the epilogue of the book, McLaren talked about the considerable amount of criticism he had received (mostly from “proper Christians”) for some of his ideas and thoughts in his book. McLaren showed a great amount of character by not naming names or fighting back. Instead, he referenced a prayer by St. Nikolai Velimirovic. I had to do a bit of research to find it and it’s a bit lengthy but I wanted to share it with you. The words are close to my heart at the moment and have blessed me since finding them. I hope they are a blessing to you as well.
May we love our neighbors and our enemies!!
Chad
Bless my enemies, O Lord.
Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Enemies have driven me into Your embrace more than friends have.
Friends have bound me to earth, enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished
all my aspirations in the world.
Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.
Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does,
so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary,
having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.
Bless my enemies, O Lord.
Even I bless them and do not curse them.
They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world. They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself.
They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments. They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself.
They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish.
Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a dwarf.
Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.
Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.
Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.
Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.
Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of Your garment.
Bless my enemies, O Lord.
Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:
so that my fleeing to You may have no return;
so that all hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs;
so that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul;
so that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;
so that I might amass all my treasure in heaven;
ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.
Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows,
that a person has no enemies in the world except himself.
One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.
It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies.
Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies.
A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand.
But a son blesses them, for he understands.
For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life.
Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them.
Bless my enemies, O Lord.
Even I bless them and do not curse them
http://www.spiritrestoration.org/Church/All%20About%20Church%20Articles/Prayer%20Page.htm
What a gem of a prayer. I am blessed to know it. It is ever so true. It helps give words to something I know…….for enemies have driven me to His embrace and to the hem of His garment and that fleeing to God is home, has no safe return.
Peace, Chad. Take good care.
Hi Chad, All your writing isn’t going to waste. I copied this prayer and sent it to many people. One woman replied after getting the email that perhaps it’s a good thing to have struggles with others because it forces us to go to God.