Nougat 8

Blessed International Women’s Day to you all, especially the women and girls amongst us.

These days reality tv has many interesting things to spark our interest. There are survival shows, fitness challenges and for those who need less stress, there are game shows with names that suggests danger. Along the lines of the fad are diets, training manuals and other such, which offer the distinctive and ‘best’ for our consumer pleasure. Some of these are dubbed ‘the Ultimate…’, indicating that it’s the hardest or top of the line. Along that train of thought, Today’s Holy Nougat might be considered by some as ‘The Ultimate Blessing Challenge’!

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭28‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Ultimate Blessing Challenge

This Nougat is offered with the backdrop of Jesus’ most profound sermon, which begins with Blessings – for us. Jesus reintroduces the Blessing motif, with a twist. We are doing the blessing: to our enemies! Oy! This gave me goosebumps.

I will be honest, maybe it’s ultimate for me because it requires my every single spiritual muscle being trained beyond ‘selfish’ capacity. I can’t say that I’m there yet … I’m far from being Iron Woman, Survivor or any such level of spiritual growth. And I most definitely haven’t mattered The Ultimates. However, lack of mastery is no excuse for deliberate disobedience or ignoring what Jesus said. For, if we seek to truly follow, then this is one of those game changers.

Who is your enemy? Is there only one? And before you say you hate no one, think also of the Haters out there, or perpetrators of injustice. We don’t have to initiate the enmity, but we do still have to bless those who curse us – bless and curse not. We’re also expected to genuinely pray for those who intentionally seek out to harm us! Oy oy oy – a blessing is not usually the first natural thing in my mind there. For Jesus, this is neither extreme nor ultimate; it is naturally spiritual.

His explanation suggests that unwillingness to bless the Haters flesh-natural. But a sure sign of spiritual growth and maturity is the Spirit-natural act of loving the Hater. Speaking God’s grace and provision in their lives, asking God to meet their needs, and by extension, to Love and Forgive our enemies. {Lord please forgive my bitterness towards those who hurt me, and teach me how to forgive!}.

We’re not being asked to be friends, though that has happened before. Rather we’re asked to ‘forgive as we’ve been forgiven (that’s part of The Lord’s Prayer, remember?). And Jesus personified this on The Cross – by sending forgiving grace towards us, ‘Father, forgive them! They have no clue of their wrongdoing.’ At his death (see Acts 7), Stephen the martyr also echoed those words. It signaled the end of Saul’s murderous career and set the stage for his conversion. I tell you, many believers were put to the test with the Ultimate Blessing challenge in that time!

Siblings, Jesus asks each of us believers the same thing that YHWH asked at Creation: be fruitful and multiply. Isn’t that what the Great Commission says in its own way: preach, teach and baptize (Matthew 28:18-20)? That’s what we’re blessed and called and commissioned to do. It isn’t easy; but while we lallygag, the world is dying in completely opposition to growth and development.

Lord give us grace and strength to focus on You, enabling us to genuinely complete The Ultimate Blessing Challenge by blessing our Haters. Anoint us afresh by Your Spirit’s power to do so again and again, please Lord. In Jesus’ name amen

May all we seek be found in Christ