Saturday, March 12, 2011

"This is no sacrifice, here's my life..."

"Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth!
No, I came to bring a sword.
I have come to set a man against his father,
and 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.
If you cling to your life you will lose it;
but if you give it up for Me,
you will find it." 
(Matthew 10:34-39 Emphasis added)


wow! those are powerful words! read them again. Jesus is talking something serious here. He didn't come to make our lives easier or more peaceful! NO!! in fact, He said that it was to be the exact opposite.
"I came to bring a sword.."
He came with a purpose. and that purpose wasn't to make a Christ follower's life easy.
He wants us to suffer for Him. 
but wait..that doesn't sound like the loving God that i picture in my mind and heart.
maybe a better way to put it would be to say that He wants us to be OKAY with suffering for Him.
all i know is He says that He did not come to bring peace, but to drive apart with a sword.
He says to love another person more than we love Him makes us unworthy of being His.
honestly...after the way He suffered for me, you would think that any way that He asked me to suffer for Him would be a non issue. it wouldn't even be a sacrifice.
but i cannot be that selfless. not yet. Jesus is amazing. i desire, i LONG to be like Him. to be molded after Him.
to be able to sacrifice anything and in any way...
for Him. 
on a second's notice.


maybe the scariest thing about this passage...is that it speaks in such strong language.
and it speaks to me.
i have a tendency to spend more time daydreaming about a prince,
while my King sits and waits. constantly pushed aside.
Lord, i want You to be number One in my life.
i want to be willing to make ANY sacrifice for You.
Help me.
Lead Me.

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