God's Contrary Love

If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Romans 12: 20.

What Paul is writing to the Romans, is exactly the wisdom of Solomon in Proverbs 25: 21- 22. Please read it.

In the children’s nursery rhyme, it says,

Mary! Mary! Quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells, and pretty maids, all in a row.

Have you ever thought of it? Mary’s garden was not like regular gardens, whether simple or exotic. Only a contrary person would have a garden with all those things, planted together, in one row. God’s Love is also quite contrary in the eyes of man, because of how God loves. For you, the actions and works of love are kept for those who are good and kind to you. Your actions of love are reserved for those who do good to you. But God’s Love is contrary, because He calls you to do good to those who are not good to you. Love is not about friendships. Love is about Love. Love is like the rain that falls the same way, on the good and on the bad. Love is like the sun that gives warmth and light to the grateful and the ungrateful. Love is like the cross that is mounted for the friend and the foe. What then makes God’s Love contrary to the world’s love? Here are two basics.

Love feeds your enemy.

Love quenches the thirst of your enemy.

Who is your enemy? Jesus, I know who Your enemies were and are, for Lord, I too was an enemy, and in my enemy state, You fed and clothed me. You kept watch over me. But Lord, if You ask me who is my enemy, I will have to say that I do not know, because I have none that I can name at the moment. I then asked God to show me and tell me and this is what I heard.

You are asking the question, Who is my enemy? but that is not the question to ask. The question to ask yourself this day is, Whom do I refuse to feed? Whom do I not give a drink of water to? Here is the problem that traps so many. You do not see family, friends and neighbours as enemies, and so you are deceived into a false way of thinking and seeing things. But anyone from whom you withhold food and water, is your enemy.

Now then, these are the people who are truly hungry and thirsty. Many are asking for food and drink. Many, because of their own wicked, sinful and evil ways, have brought hunger or thirst upon themselves. Many are now in need and have come before you, the one they have abused, used and misused. God’s contrary love feeds them and quenches their thirst.

Hunger and Thirst! Note, you are not just dishing out food and drink, but you are responding to a basic need in all humans, the need for food and water, or drink.

When I was totally lost and an enemy of The Way, the Lord Jesus saw my dying, lost, hell bound soul and came to my rescue. He saw me hungry, and fed me, His enemy. He saw me thirsty, and gave me to drink, His enemy. He saw me naked, and clothed me, His enemy. When Jesus did all this for me, I WAS NOT HIS FRIEND. Love loves, for it cannot, but love. In the Lord’s Garden of Love are many unworthy and worthy, all in a row. All who are needy, receive food and water.

Now listen carefully to this. The dying hungry, will eat the food fed to him. The dying thirsty, will drink the water given to him. The easiest and simplest thing to do, is to feed the dying hungry and thirsty, poison. Poison kills and this poison is called revenge. God’s Love in you never takes revenge. God’s love in you does not poison anyone. On the contrary, love heaps burning coals on the heads of your enemies. Your contrary actions of love can save a life, change a life.

How is this so? Spend a few moments on yourself. Just look at you and see this truth of Love, clearly and transparently. Why have you repented? Why are you repenting? Why will you always be repenting? It is because of the LOVE of GOD, His different and contrary Love that forever gives good to you, never evil.

Again I asked the questions, for I am so often confused. What food am I refusing to give someone? What food do I have? Who is asking me? Who before me is hungry, Lord? Jesus, what is this food?

Again our Teacher answers, for He knows that I so often do not get it. It is not physical, but spiritual food. Many are starving and you do not feed. You think that you need to be legal and lawful about My Food. No! Feed, for in doing so you will heap burning coals that will bring someone down, so that he or she will see Love, God’s Contrary Love, and turn to God in Christ Jesus, in repentance. God is Love!

O God, You who are Love, I thank You for Your Sacrificial Love that is given, contrary to any other Love. Your Love that gives Your best to friend and foe alike. Lord Jesus, You who have given me Your unfailing Love, make me contrary in love please. Thank You Lord. Amen!