"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse (or spitefully use) you."

What a challenge this is for us, especially when we remember that loving, and showing that love by our behaviour, is not an optional extra, but a direct command from the Lord Jesus to each one of us. This reminds me once again of how utterly impossible it is for me, in my own strength, "to live a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."  (Col  1:10)

What a wonder of his grace it is to know, not just believe, that, because of what our God did for us on Calvary through his Son Jesus, we can join with the apostle Paul saying, "Amen, I can and I will" to his statement in Phil 4:13, "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me." And we can also join with him in saying, "Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantely than all we could ever think or ask, to him be glory in the Church, and in Christ Jesus, to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)