“I Did Not Come To Bring Peace,

But A Sword”

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 1-:32-38

Most of us know very little about persecution. Our physical well-being has never been threatened. Some people live in danger every day simply because they love Jesus and want others to know Him too.

There is another form of persecution that may not be life-threatening, but is heartbreaking. It’s the persecution that comes from non-Christian family members. When loved ones ridicule our faith and mock us for what we believe and how we express our love for God, we feel rejected and unloved.

Jesus told us to pray for those who persecute us and that includes more than strangers who hate us. God is able to give us grace to persevere through persecution even when it comes from those we love.

People may mock our message but they can’t stop our prayers.

Our Daily Bread – May 7, 2013