Under the Blade

It is impossible to rest upon the fine edge of a sword and remain intact. The very purpose of a sword is to separate.

The claim that Christ came as the Son of God, was sentenced to death and rose to life by the power of God’s hand creates a point of division on which we must fall to one side or the other. We either acknowledge this or reject it. We worship him or dismiss the authority Christ commands over our lives.

To give Christ supremacy is to hold other loyalties very lightly. Though we are given many good gifts, ultimately we consider his kingdom call the most precious. When threatened with the loss of our earthly hopes, we hold fast to our peace with God.

In this passage, Jesus places the tip of a blade against the patriarchal structure of the day, challenging all that the Jewish people held dear—family, tribe and national identity. He calls for them to feel the fresh wind of the Spirit upon their faces, an invisible mystery that brings about a new reality. He calls us to the same.

Our lives, grafted into the true Vine, will suffer a time of pruning in order to flourish. Our faith will be tested, and God will not appear as a friend. He will, however, take nothing from us that can ultimately save us, and he offers us the only lasting source of life. By placing our trust in him, we abandon good things that will fail and gain the best hope of all—a Father who will never leave us and a Brother who walks beside us to carry us home.

Respond in Prayer

Heavenly Father, you are Lord of my life. In obedience, I surrender my lesser loyalties. May I find peace with you of more value than allegiance to the world. Through Jesus, who fell upon the sword of judgment for me, I pray. Amen.

Miriam Wickett

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®).