Words of Wisdom August 8, 2013 Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34 Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to reconcile people to God. But when people are reconciled to God, they are simultaneously estranged from their previous influences. That’s because unity with Jesus puts us at odds with anything or anyone not aligned with Him. The Prince of Peace is inherently controversial. Sometimes that controversy occurs within ourselves. At times, the Presence of Jesus makes us restless. Our imperfect thoughts and assumptions are challenged by surprising truth. Our false expectations are dashed by His persistent contradictions to His promises. And, when we need correction, He has the right and the ability to offend us. The Presence of Jesus can be disorienting. How do you respond when you sense His correction? What do you think of Him when His actions toward you seem to contradict His words to you? How do you feel when your questions of “why” or “why not” remain unanswered? Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who are not offended by Him (Matthew 11:6), knowing that offenses are common among those who relate to Him. How you respond to those offenses has a lot to do with how consistently you experience him. Feel the love of God and be encouraged by His Presence, but also know that He doesn’t come to endorse the status quo in our lives. He often comes to rearrange—circumstances, relationships, even our own hearts. Whenever you find yourself in a season of challenge or rearranging, let Him do His uncomfortable work. If we let Him, the restlessness He causes always leads to peace. Jesus, I love Your peace, but I accept the conflicts You create in my life. I know You bring change, and change can be uncomfortable. Even so, I want the discomfort if it leads me closer to You and further into Your will.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Aug 2013 15:21:16 +0000
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