Pray for My Enemies–Even in Paris?

139 lives taken in one evening. All murdered by vicious terrorists in a coordinated attack. The coordination suggests the height of premeditated murder. It just doesn’t get worse than this. My initial reaction is akin to 9/11: every person involved in this heinous plot to take innocent lives should die—and I’m not picky about how it happens. Just get them off this planet. NOW! And then I pause.

I’ve offered prayers for the people of Paris, the people of France, and the people of the world. I pray for the victims. I firmly believe in an afterlife and the victims are in that place and I hope they receive peace but I’m confident they’re intensely concerned for their loved ones right now. I pray for the victim’s families—God, please bless the families of those murdered that they may find some semblance of peace in this time of most horrific suffering. I pray for those critically wounded and hope that the death toll will not rise. You understand because you are doing the same thing.

In all my prayers I am reminded that Jesus commanded that I pray for my enemies. I’m really struggling with that command right now. Good and kind people in Paris, and all of France, and all of Europe, and all of the world are in pain. My prayers are consumed by their needs. I don’t have spiritual energies to spare to pray for the monsters that committed these murders. Surely the command to pray for my enemies—our collective enemies—must be suspended at this moment. And yet it is not. So I pray. Even for them. The murderous perpetrators.

I don’t say this to be smug or smack of self-righteousness. Quite the opposite, I am a sinner in this sphere. I pray, but I struggle with the “real intent” part. Perhaps “real intent” will come as I pray for the victims, and the people of France, and the people of the world. We’ll see. In the meantime, like you, I just keep praying.