Hospital Blues

Just visited my Dad in the hospital. Our family is certainly in a weird groove. Half on one side and half on the other belief-wise, aligned on opposing sides with the cross of Jesus the dividing line. In Matthew 10:34-37, he says, "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." So true in our case. Am I alone here?

Jesus also has this to say with regard to family: "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.'" Mark 3:33-35

So, if members of your family write insulting letters about you and snub you; or when a "brother" ( in the flesh) tries to prevent his Christian family members from seeing their father in the hospital, then, hey, you're blessed! "If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." 1 Peter 4:14 I'm afraid I haven't quite gotten to that perspective yet, but it's good to know in which direction righteousness lies.

That's why I desperately need God's Word. It tells me to "live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8-9 There we go with the blessings again. As you might have guessed, I'm writing this out because I need to imprint it on my own heart.