Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Peace in the valley Thursday, March 11, 2010 Luke 11:17 Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house ... falls. These words of Jesus are echoed in Matthew and Mark. Abraham Lincoln made them a keynote of an 1858 Springfield speech. The words followed him into his presidential campaign. Doris Kearns Goodwin's history Team of Rivals describes Lincoln's attempt to walk this talk. Not everyone appreciated the efforts of either Jesus or Lincoln, one crucified, the other assassinated. Their fate nothwithstanding, the words are true. But just how far does a kingdom extend? Who is living in our house? Families and nations fight over power and wealth because they don't think their shares will be equal. Or they want more than their share. Nobody much wants to be a politician (or a coach) these days, because the competition between groups is so vicious and poisonous that it kills almost all the messengers. Only the most vicious and most poisonous seem to survive. Jesus had just changed a man's life by releasing him from the hold of an evil spirit. He pointed his finger at Satan and told him to leave. He told the crowd, "The Kingdom of God has come upon you ... whoever is not with me is against me." There is one division, between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. Jesus insists we make that one choice, upon which all our life depends. You are our God and we are the people you shepherd, the flock you guide. So let us kneel before you together. You are our God. --- Psalm 95 "; Add      Edit    Delete