Lost and Found

Jane Denniston June 26, 2026 1 0

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Matthew 10: 34-39 (NIV-UK)

34 ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 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 – 
36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”

37 ‘Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

For the Jews in ancient times, and as I understand it, still today, the family was of paramount importance, and loyalty to God and family trumped all other loyalties. Against that background, we can see how shocking the words of Jesus are here, to those who either did not know or did not believe in his deity. Even today it is shocking to us — this is not the Jesus we know, is it? Did he not come to bring peace?

Perhaps it might help us to read these words as descriptive rather than prescriptive: it is not Jesus’ intention to split families but sadly, the result of following him may well mean division between those who love one another. Verses 37 and 38 make plain that loyalty to Jesus comes first and that may well cause friction in a family where not everyone has accepted Jesus.

Yet there is comfort in verse 39, for, if we give up everything for Jesus, we will be rewarded when we find that all we need we have in him.

Have you ever struggled to give something up, only to find that the subsequent hole in your life was filled with something much better?

Prayer:

Loving heavenly Father,

teach us to love you

with all our heart

with all our soul

with all our mind.

Teach us to love you above all things

and may that love shine through us

seasoning all our relationships with your love

that there may be no division

but only union in you.

Father,

when you ask us to make sacrifices for your sake

help us to rest assured in the knowledge

that your plans for us

will always be better

than anything we can devise for ourselves, Amen