What can turn enemies into friends? Peace-makers of some sort. God’s enemies are turned into friends as he reconciles them to himself. By taking away their hard heart. By forgiving all that is against them. By showing them his love. By shining the light of the gospel into their hearts and minds.
Not by becoming like the enemies. Not by pretending they don’t exist or that they are not enemies. We live in a world in conflict, full of violence and hatred. The violence and hatred are not just in other countries where they use bombs and bullets. It is also here in Australia.
The violence is not only physical – although there seems to be more of that too. It is increasingly verbal. What is it that underlies this violence and hatred? Is it just bad homes and poor parenting? Surely not. It is perhaps the kind of fruit you would expect from people who have abandoned God.
The strong atheistic and secular push is not only seen at the level of politics and ethical questions. It must also be seen at the level of ordinary relationships. People brought up in contexts that are increasingly devoid of Christian ways of behaving will continue to act in bad ways.
Should we pray for fire from heaven? Only in the sense that it fell at Pentecost.
Dale