Matthew 10:34-39 (ESV)
34
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35
For 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.
36
And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.
37
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
My commitment to Christ will not bring peace with everyone. There will be those who vehemently disagree with me. I must be aware that they are not necessarily outside the church. They may be on the inside. I cannot have all peace and all Christ. I can either have all peace and a piece of Christ or a piece of peace and all of Christ. There are too many who choose to oppose Christ to have peace. There are too many who choose Christ as an acquaintance rather than Lord to have peace with them.
Nothing can mean more than Christ. My commitment to Jesus must be so central that it determines my commitment to my family. I still love my family but they cannot take precedence over my Lord. I am not worthy of my Lord if I turn away from Him to accommodate my family. My worthiness is not the earning of my salvation. It is the standing that I have with Him. It places me in need of confession. It removes me from His fellowship. It is falling far short of the glory He has intended for me.
Thus, I take up my cross. It must be taken voluntarily. My cross must be carried or I cannot walk with Him. I cannot choose wealth or safety or any comfort over Him. In fact, I must consider myself dead so that I can take this cross I must carry. Therefore, nothing else matters.
My walk with Him cannot be at my convenience. It cannot be when I desire it. My Christian life is either authentic or pretentious.
1 comment:
My Christian commitment?
If I were to say it in a few sentences, it would be that I need to be committed to be confirmed to the likeness of our Lord, Jesus; it would be that I need to be surrendered, not just committed, to be conformed to the likeness of our Lord; it would be that I need to grow my love for God until it surpasses all things; and it is to aim to be able to say, "to live is Christ, to die is gain". And, oh, get my butt to Heaven!
Anthony Chia, high.expressions
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