Matthew 10: 35 – 11:1 (Monday, July 16, 2007)

The word of God truthfully preached brings about divisions. This is because, the word of God is like a two edged sword, the Old Testament tells us. Even in our hearts, it shall tear through us. The message of Christ would begin to challenge the things for many years our culture has conditioned us to accept as being okay. It will challenge us to get out of our comfort zones and be the people God really wants us to be. This would be like a storm in our lives; it would not be peaceful. Beginning to follow this new path Jesus Christ is giving you in your life will lead to another set of divisions, your wife or husband may rise against or your children may. Can you imagine what the response of your wife or husband would be when you suddenly say to him or her, “honey we don’t need to put in $500 every month in our retirement account. Let us put in only $100 and give the rest to those dying children of Darfur or Haiti. God will take care of our future.” He or she will say you must be crazy. This is the challenge of the gospel preached by Jesus.

We have a choice, either to follow Christ’s wish for our lives or to follow the wishes of a human person. As Christians, we certainly have to follow the wish of Jesus Christ. Following his path is not easy. It is challenging but he invites us to joyfully carry the crosses that come our way as a result of our following him. In doing this, he would certainly acknowledge us before his Father. Let us pray today asking God to tell us practically what he wants us to do with our lives and let us be open to the challenges he will give to us.