I sent a text to my wife, in a moment of romantic weakness, it read, ''I love you more than Manchester United'', my favourite football team. In Luke 14 v26,our Saviour tells a huge crowd ,''If anyone comes to me and does not
hate, father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes even his own life- cannot be my disciple''. Now the word hate seems a strange word to use ,but the simple explanation is this as quoted by W.
Hendriksen who writes,'' The meaning of hate in the Lucan passage is to love less, In all things Christ must always have the pre-eminence[Col 1 v18]
In Matthew 19 v 16ff, we read of a man who came to Jesus he had a wonderful testimony, he claimed to keep the law, he honoured his mother and father, and loved his neighbour as himself. But things came to a head when Jesus told him to go, and sell his possessions and give to the poor. At that moment everything was held in the balance, what would he do ?, who or what did he love the most?. This man was very wealthy, decision time, would he love Jesus more than his wealth?, there could be no compromise, was he going to receive eternal, or end up in a lost eternity?. Can we sincerely say ,I love Jesus more than.......
A prayer.
Dear Lord help us to have a right sense of values, for the consequences of choosing wrongly is very serious .Amen.
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