The Archives Devotional Magazine June 2015 | Page 13

DAY 4
“It was also said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give
her a written notice of divorce.’ But now I tell you: if a man
divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness,
then he is guilty of making her commit adultery if she
marries again; and the man who marries her commits
adultery also.
“You have also heard that people were told in the past,
‘Do not break your promise, but do what you have vowed to
the Lord to do.’ But now I tell you: do not use any vow when
you make a promise. Do not swear by heaven, for it is God's
throne; nor by earth, for it is the resting place for his feet;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not
even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single
hair white or black. Just say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’—anything else you
say comes from the Evil One.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a
tooth for a tooth.’ But now I tell you: do not take revenge on
someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right
cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. And if someone takes
you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat
as well. And if one of the occupation troops forces you to
carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles. When someone
asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants
to borrow something, lend it to him.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your friends, hate
your enemies.’ But now I tell you: love your enemies and
pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become
the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun
to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to
those who do good and to those who do evil. Why should
God reward you if you love only the people who love you?
Even the tax collectors do that! And if you speak only to your
friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even
the pagans do that! You must be perfect—just as your Father
in heaven is perfect.”

A Hymn to God the Father by John Donne
Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun, / which is my sin, though it were
done before? / Wilt thou forgive that sin through which I run, / and do run
still, though still do I deplore? / When thou hast done, thou hast not
done, / for I have more.
Wilt thou forgive that sin by which I have won / others to sin? and
made my sin their door? / Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun / a
year or two, but wallowed in a score? / When thou hast done, thou hast
not done, / for I have more.
I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun / my last thread, I shall
perish on the shore; / swear by thy self, that at my death thy Son / shall
shine as he shines now and heretofore; / and, having done that, thou hast
done, / I fear no more.

"FAITH IS TRUST OR COMMITMENT TO WHAT YOU
THINK IS TRUE." ―WILLIAM LANE CRAIG
DAY 5
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your friends, hate your enemies.’
But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you, so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For
he makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain
to those who do good and to those who do evil. Why should God
reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax
collectors do that! And if you speak only to your friends, have you done
anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that! You must be
perfect—just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
“Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so
that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will
not have any reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give
something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the
hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so
that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid
in full. But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even
your closest friend will not know about it. Then it will be a private matter.
And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.”

NOTE