Prayer
Before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 119:127-128
LORD, because I love your commands
more than gold, more than pure gold,
and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path.
Teach me Your ways, O Lord! Amen.
Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your awareness to the voice of God, coming to you through His Word.
Reading
Just a quick reminder as this devotion begins. Throughout this year we are looking at the New Testament with the aim of identifiying “everything Jesus commanded us”. We’re doing this because when Jesus gave His apostles the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28:19-20, He commanded them: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” So that’s our quest this year – to understand what Jesus has commanded us so that we may be effective disciples. Disciples who do what Jesus our Lord commands.
With that in mind, it seems to me that there is a single command tucked away right at the end of today’s reading, in v.30. Although not stated as a command by Jesus, His words carry the weight of a command, and I would put it this way:
Choose your allegiance to Me!
In Jesus’ own words:
‘Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
This is a command to make absolutely certain that we choose our allegiance to Christ, and then stay absolutely committed to serving Christ.
In our Western culture, we may find the debate between Jesus and the Pharisees about driving out demons confusing. But neither Jesus nor the Pharisees had any doubt that there are two kingdoms at work in the spiritual world. There is the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of darkness. And Jesus is quite clear that there can be no collaboration between the two. They are completely at odds with one another. So everyone is either a subject of one or the other.
That’s why Jesus made it so clear to those of us who wish to be His disciples that, when it comes to His Kingdom, we need to make an absolutely clear decision to be with Him. We can’t be half-hearted, lukewarm, or partially committed. Jesus and His Kingdom deserve our 100% commitment. In fact, when it comes to Christ, neutrality is impossible. If we are not all-in, we are effectively working against Him.
One old commentary puts it this way: “In this war against Satan’s strongholds there are only two sides, for Christ or against him, gathering with him or scattering with Satan.” (W. C. Allen).
It’s true in every important matter, and it is just as true when it comes to Christ and His Kingdom. One has to choose one’s side. Abstaining from making a choice is no way out, because the refusal to give support to one side of the matter is, in fact, giving tacit support to the other.
Will you choose your allegiance today?
Contemplation
Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn these declarations over in your mind. Keep them in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I will work to maintain a 100% commitment to
- being in surrender to Christ as Lord and King, and
- serving Christ and His Kingdom in everything I do.
Lord Jesus, please help me to stand firm in my commitment to follow You as my Leader and King. Amen.
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