Matthew 10:34-39
34‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35For 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 one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
37Whoever 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; 38and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
Ok, so Christ said he doesn’t bring peace but a sword, but, what kind of sword?
He tells me I am not to love my family more than him, not that I’m supposed to abandon them just that Jesus’ and the Spirits will comes first. I’m to let the spirit take care of my family and give over control of my life to the spirit.
It is not easy to let go of my control of my life. I keep wanting (and do) to snatch back the reins that I only partially have given to God. So, I am to keep my family life in tension with my faith community life and the faith part comes first.
God how does that work, I have a husband who wants my time, I have school work to complete; do I drop those when I know that you have given those to me? Or, are they the responsibilities you talk of, the cross I am supposed to bear?
Where does the balance come from?
Does letting go of my control of the situation mean I am to just stop worrying but not stop attending?
Hmmmmmm, now there is a thought, Hmmmmmm, Now that is a thought, take care of those things but without concern for how . . . Hmmmmmm
©Ruth Jewell, November 13, 2010
A Quiet Walk 