[Jesus continued his warning and instructions to the apostles when he sent them out:] “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
‘I have come to set a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Your enemies will be right in your own household!’
“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.”
Key Thought
Sometimes Jesus’ words to us are not soft words. He does bring peace, but it is a deep, abiding peace that comes from confidence in our ultimate victory through him regardless of our circumstances (John 16:33), not a superficial kind of peace that is an absence of decisions, conflicts, or hardships. His presence demands that we either choose him as Lord or reject him entirely. He will allow us no middle ground and no rival for our hearts. Jesus wants us to know that we will have some family members who will choose not to follow him and not to believe in him. In fact, some disciples may even have family members that give them up to authorities to spare themselves. For times such as this, we must commit our hearts to follow the Lord!
Today’s Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the courage and soul to choose to place Jesus as the central controlling relationship in my life. I want to honor him and serve him with a loyalty that has no rival. Please give me an undivided heart and a spirit of faithfulness. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
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