Worthy Of Christ?

Focus: Matthew 10:37 KJV - He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

It is not the mind of Christ that believers should hate or mistreat their families; in fact, the Bible explicitly commands us to honor our parents and care for our households. Rather, He addresses the conflict of loyalty. If a situation arises where a family member demands allegiance that overrides obedience to God, Christ must win out. Our devotion to Jesus must be so absolute that, by comparison, every other earthly relationship looks secondary. To place any human being, even those we love the most, on the throne of our hearts above God makes us "not worthy" of Him.

As the eldest son of King Saul, Jonathan was the rightful crown prince of Israel. Culturally, politically, and emotionally, his primary loyalty was supposed to be to his father and the preservation of his family’s royal dynasty. Saul became deeply wicked, insane with jealousy, and determined to murder David. Because Jonathan knew that God had rejected Saul and chosen David to be the next king, he faced a massive choice: side with his father to protect his royal inheritance, or side with God's chosen plan. Jonathan chose God. He made a covenant with David, stripped off his own royal robes to honor him, and actively protected David from Saul's assassination plots. Choosing God's kingdom over his father cost Jonathan dearly. When Jonathan defended David to his father's face, Saul flew into a rage, screamed that Jonathan was bringing shame upon his mother, and even threw a javelin at his own son to kill him. Despite the intense emotional manipulation and physical danger from his father, Jonathan remained steadfast in his higher loyalty to God's will.

Jonathan shows us that putting God first can sometimes place us at odds with the people we love most. He willingly surrendered his claim to an earthly throne and faced the wrath of his father because he prioritized what was right in the eyes of God. When we refuse to let family pressure dictate our spiritual obedience, we prove that Christ is truly the Lord of our lives. To be worthy of Christ, He must take the pride of place in our lives and in every decision we make thereon. Are you truly worthy of Him?

Prayer

Father, I thank you for revealing yourself to me sufficiently to know that you love me more than any other being. Help me to reciprocate your love by loving you more than every other being, so that I do not put any being ahead of you in any situation of life. Let me be in absolute submission unto you and none other all through my life. By this, let the blessings of the Kingdom be mine forever, in Jesus’ name. Amen

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