Jesus presence always causes division. Here those in the crowd are taking sides, some knowing He is the Christ, the Messiah, others not sure and some wanting to seize Him and all through the gospels we see the same thing - Jesus separates and He divides. I was thinking about this earlier this morning and particularly about the divide that He causes in marriages, in families, amongst friends and even in individual hearts. My family is divided - some have believed in the Lord Jesus, chosen to receive eternal life, trusted that He is the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Some know that He is God - that He has made it possible for those who receive Him to become children of the living God - they have been born again, new creations, covered in the righteousness of the One who knew no sin but became sin on their behalf that they might become the righteousness of God in Him.
And that's me of course - I have put my trust in Christ - given Him my life and asked Him to use me in whatever way He sees fit for His glory and for His kingdom. But still He divides - He causes division in my heart because each day I must choose where and when and what I will do with the time He has given me. What shall I listen to or look at - how will I respond in each situation and will I choose this morning to let Him sort my priorities, let Him lead and direct my path, let Him be God and me not.
Separation and division - the laying aside of the old self and the putting on of the new. The moment by moment remembering that I am not my own, I have been bought with a price so high it often defies imagination - the moment by moment remembering that God so loved the world - that He so loved me - that He gave His only Son to set me free.
Separation and division - the battle of the Spirit against the flesh, in all its forms, subtle and not so subtle. The standing against the anxiety and fear -choosing to believe that the battle is the Lord's and that He has promised that I will overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved me; choosing to believe that He will cause all things to work together for my good because I love Him and have been called according to His purpose. Separation and division as I stand against the enemy of my soul who whispers in my ear that I am not enough, that I will never be what I am supposed to be, never pray enough, never know Him or love Him well enough - that really I am simply not what I should be and not what He wants.
The presence of Jesus always causes division and separation and how wonderful that is - how amazing that He would show Himself to me in all those tiny things - that even as I choose to put my trust in His Word, that same Word is right this moment piercing as far as soul and spirit and is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of my heart, able to speak into my heart and tell me - do not be afraid, I am here and I will never ever leave.
I have been separated by God for Jesus - He came and I heard His voice and He has caused a division - between me and darkness, between me and Satan, between me and sin and oh how grateful I am, how full of thanksgiving for His amazing grace.
