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Luke 12:51-53 – Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, 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. (NASB)
Because I am a non-confrontational person, being forthright, outspoken, or direct when speaking truth becomes an arduous task requiring discernment. I perceive others to have tendencies to sugar-coat truth in fear of animosity or repercussion. I struggle in situations that directly engage my relatives or personal friends, and often pine for the outspokenness of the gospel writers.
But ironically, Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace, warned us that families will be divided on account of Him. To a degree, I have seen it happen in my own family and close circle of friends. Some have even displayed animosity amongst themselves bordering on hatred. I have heard testimonies from others, mostly Jewish believers, who have been disowned because of their faith in the Messiah. Therefore, in searching Scripture relating to this quandary, I also sought its resolution.
On a broader scale, the nation of Israel misunderstood the purpose of Messiah's first coming: they believed that He would usher in a reign of peace on earth, primarily from war and Roman occupation, and His earthly kingdom would be established. Without the shedding of Christ's blood as atonement for the sins of mankind and apart from a personal relationship with Him, His promise of peace is not achieved.
Nevertheless, today's passage focuses on the most fundamental unit: the family. Mark 3:25 states, "If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand" (NASB). Satan is in the business of dividing and destroying the very foundation of society. He knows that the gospel message ignites no small stir, and he does everything in his power to keep the lost unsaved. In 1 Corinthians 1:18, Paul confirms, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (KJV). Hence, families become divided.
What can we do? Leading a Christian life by example and walking with the Lord may inadvertently affect our friends or relatives, and lead them to do likewise. In John 15:12, Jesus said, "Love one another, as I have loved you" (KJV). Secondly, through specific prayer, the Lord may facilitate reunification if it is His will. In addition, we can pray for them to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If they search and their heart is right, God will bring it to fruition.
Prayer: Father God, we give You praise, honour, and glory. You said in Your Word that You are not a God of confusion, but of peace. We pray for reconciliation in divided families. We pray that those who have rejected Christ will go to the foot of the cross in humility and embrace Your Son Jesus, so that Your peace will be made available to them. We pray this in our Saviour's name. Amen.
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Thank you Lou. Great words.
Thanks for the good thoughts Lou.
Another thoughtful, thought-provoking, profoundly wise Devotional by Lou Ciccanti.
Blessings.
Thank you Lou for sharing your thoughts with us. May God continue to bless your writing for him. Blessings.
Thanks Lou, great message. This is happen everyday. Keep writing my brother, you are causing a lot of people to think.
Lou, Thus is extremely well put. It’s a real problem today, especially with some family and friends. The best thing to do is simply walk the walk.
Thanks for your devotional. Prayers for the lost should always include our own family members. People have given beautiful testimonies even after many, many years of prayer, so we should never give up!
I appreciate you sharing this devotional. The struggles you mentioned resonate with me, because it is difficult to discern how best to handle conflicts and confrontations. Prayer for God’s wisdom would definitely be in order. As a Christian, I am reminded that dissension and divisions because of Christ are bound to happen in some way, shape, or form.
Dear Lou,
I have also found division arise between relatives because of the gulf that is visible when one of a family become Christian with a lifestyle change. Your solutions of showing love and prayer can affect change in relationships. Thanks for writing.
God bless.
Lou!
That hit home big time.
To be divided in spiritual matters with your own is a rough place to be. Hard to handle.
My only hope is in Jesus Christ for all of us!
God bless you!
Thank you Lou for this message. As I was doing my daily prayers today, my family kept coming up in my mind. At first, I decided to let them go their own way and be done with them. Minutes later upon reading your article, I realize again that this is not what I should be doing. And now I am again set straight in the way of Love that Jesus teaches us to follow. Lou, thank you for your timely message in my life. I’m not sure how you do it; I am just glad that you do.
Bless you Lou and Lori.
God bless you.
Thank you Lou. Great words. I have struggled with this in the last couple of years and you helped me see God’s truth.
Dear Lou,
Thank you for your concern for Christian people to live in peace with one another according to Jesus’ Way.
Jesus said, “Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).
I pray that in homes, meeting places, and churches people will gather together in Jesus’ name and have full realization that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is with them. May Word and Song thrill people in the realization that Jesus, the live Holy Spirit, is present.
Keep writing for Jesus’ sake.