Spiritual Sunday #10 - IN SPITE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS
I am participating again in Spiritual Sunday. Please visit and read the other posts. They are always uplifting.
"Don't worry about what to say." Matthew 10:10 TLB
After going home to a cool reception Jesus said, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own home town" Matthew 6:4 TLB." In other places He was considered a hero, but not here. "His family....thought he was out of his mind" Matthew 3:21 NCV"
It is worth noting that He didn't try to control their behavior, nor did He let their behavior control His. He loved them, but He didn't demand that they always agree with Him. He didn't sulk or retaliate when they insulted Him. And He didn't make it His mission in life to try and please them. If your family is making it difficult for you to serve the Lord. observe three things about Jesus. (1) He recognized that His spiritual family could provide what His physical family didn't. That's why we need the support and stability that comes from the fellowship in a local church. (2) He didn't let the difficult dynamic of family overshadow the call from God. Your family may not understand or agree, but you can't let that keep you from doing what God's called you to do. (3) He refused to let the opinion of the crowd dictate His direction. The whole town of Capernaum "tried to keep Him from leaving them" Luke 4:42 NKLV" But He resisted the undertow of people by anchoring to the rock of His purpose: to build God's kingdom, not His own. Imagine the whole town wanting you to stay, and leaving. Could all those people be wrong? Yes! Jesus followed the will of God. And you must too.
From The WORD For You TODAY
This devotional really spoke to my heart,, since we deal with this very issue within our family, and I trust it will speak to your heart too. We must be faithful in following our Lord and His leadings.
8 comments:
This was really good and especially now at this time of the year it is so true as well. This was a good reminder and I thank you for posting it. Have a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving, Debbie
It spoke to me too. When you talk about the whole town wanting him to stay I'm reminded of our much loved pastor who left our church this spring. The whole church wanted him to stay, but he said God was calling him away. We were blessed to have him and his wife worshipping with us this morning, and although it's been hard to have him gone, we must trust that God's will is to send him elsewhere.
Susan, I really love this post. I was actually trying to write something along the same lines when I found the Lincoln prayer, and posted that instead, but this is very, very needed, every day, of course, for especially at the holidays...with families coming together, and sometimes NOT coming together, sometimes we expereince a less than happy time, and we need to remember first our heavenly Father, our Savior, Jesus, and the home that is waiting for us. The fallacy of thinking that if we stand firm in our faith to God, we'll lose friends or relationships, but the truth is that standing firm is a command that will witness to the lost, and plant a seed that could produce salvation for them as well.
Thanks for these beautiful words of wisdom!
God bless,
Mary
Great encouragement Susan! Many times even our brothers and sisters do not understand the path that God has called us to walk.
This is a powerful message and a very needed one. Thank you for posting.
Great insight, Susan. I can't imagine life without all the wonderful Christian friends I've made at church. These relationships are priceless.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week.
Charlotte
Yes, most importantly we have to each hear and do what we have to, as JESUS did. No matter!
Thanks for posting this Susan. I know many people struggle with their families in serving the Lord. This is one reason we, as the Church must provide a real familiy atomosphere in our fellowships. I think most do, but I do wish we did more often.
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