ARE YOU WORTHY? – Matthew 10:37-38
Saturday, February 3rd, 2007Matthew 10:37-38 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. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Jesus came to this earth to set an example for you. HE commands that HE must be number one in your life. You cannot love your father or your mother more than HIM. You cannot love your son or your daughter more than HIM. If you desire to be worthy in the eyes of the Lord, you must love the Lord with all your heart, and then you must be willing to lay aside your own burdens and your own cares in order to take up HIS perfect will for your life and follow HIM.
Christ is not saying in this passage that you cannot love your family. Christ is simply saying that you cannot love your family more than you love HIM. Christ is teaching you that you must take the time to understand HIS purpose for your life. Once you understand HIS purpose, then you will be in a position where you can follow HIM.
Esther’s cross was that she had to be willing to lay down her life for her people. Esther did not know what was going to happen when she presented herself before her husband. All she knew is that this was God’s purpose for her life and that regardless of the consequences she was going to ensure that her actions were pleasing to God.
Your life will be out of balance if you allow anything to be more important to you over your relationship with God. If you allow your love for a person to supersede your love for God, not only will you not be worthy in the sight of God, but you also will never be content. In the same way that a recipe will never taste right if you measure the wrong amount of the various ingredients, so too will your life never be in balance if you allow something or someone to come between you and your God.
God has a perfect plan for you. HE has a cross that HE desires you to carry. Just as Jesus’ cross required that HE had to die to HIMSELF and HIS will in order to do the will of God, so also will your cross require you to die to yourself to do what you want to do in order that you might live your life pleasing to God. The world may live their lives according to their own will but they are slaves to sin. You on the other hand chose to call yourself a Christian. This choice means that you are no longer a slave but that you are a servant of God. As a servant, you are dependent upon your Master to direct and provide for you. How can you expect your Master to provide for you if you do not follow HIS direction for your life? It is your duty to God to put HIM first in your life. You must follow HIS perfect will or else you will be an unprofitable servant.
You must add virtue to your life and change your perspective. If you allow the things of this world to be more important than the things of God, you are actually making your life miserable as you are attempting to serve two masters. You will never find contentment or peace as long as you allow your life to be out of balance. Instead, when you choose to be a child of God, you must learn to put the things of God first in your life. Whenever you feel that a relationship is becoming more important to you then your relationship with HIM, simply take this as a clue that your life is not right with God and take the time to draw closer to HIM. Learn HIS will for your life and allow HIM to guide you.