Monday 17th of July
“It is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword.”
Matthew 10:34-11:1
Following Jesus is not easy; we are called to put him before everything else, including family and loved ones. And for many of us, this doesn’t prove easy. It requires faith, obedience and commitment. It does not mean to love our family less than we already do but to place Jesus first in our lives. To live according to the will of God, just as Jesus did when he took up that cross for us. Yes, he loved his family dearly, but his love for God was paramount.
How can we live in obedience to God’s will, even when it goes against what we want, what we stand for or for fear? Jesus reminds us in this passage that “whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Following Jesus sometimes means “losing our life”, time, wants and desires. However, no “loss” goes unnoticed to Jesus. Let us be guided today to choose Jesus before everything and everyone else so that we can clearly see God’s will for our lives.