Scripture – ““I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.””
Luke 12:49-53 NIV
Observation – Jesus said he didn’t come to bring peace but division. What is he saying here? Jesus says in many other verses that his objective for us is to live in peace. Isaiah 26:3 states, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you”.
Application – The only true peace, that is lasting, is a relationship with Jesus because he is the source of life and he made us. Our spiritual DNA won’t permit true peace without Jesus. We can experience seasons in our life when things are “going well” but as we all know life changes quickly and difficulties are around the next corner. Our family got a new dog 5 days ago. We’ve had dogs for 40 years but have never trained a dog. We are taking a class and the instructor taught us that dogs were bred for a purpose. Terriers kill rodents, shepherds herd animals, huskies pull sleds and retrievers retrieve. They are at their best and the happiest when they are doing what they were designed to do. Human beings were designed to walk with Jesus. Without a relationship with Jesus there is no lasting peace. Jesus wants us to honor our family and love them but if you have to choose Jesus or your family he tells you to choose him. I hope you don’t have a family like that.
Prayer – Lord, I thank you that you do bring peace, lasting peace that will sustain us in grief and even death. Help us to be steadfast so we can experience deep peace. Amen.
What are you doing? Do it better 