“And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3:24). The obvious takeaway from this verse is that a house that is structurally unstable will eventually fall to pieces. The longer that we are torn apart by conflicting desires and loyalties, trying to serve two masters, the sooner we will fall apart and thus will no longer be able to stand. But there is another interpretation. If we are divided against ourselves, one part of us unable to tear ourselves away from the temptations and the distractions of this world, the other part of us desperately yearning to love God with our whole soul and to be perfect like He is, each side perfectly balanced against the other, neither half winning but we are definitely losing as the internal strife shakes us to the core and drives us to our knees. But that's the secret, isn't it? If we cannot stand while we are divided, then we must kneel. Kneel in prayer. We cannot give up our worldly desires and the sins and temptations which do easily beset us all on our own. We have to plead with our Savior for help. As we let Him into our lives, He will put our house in order. He will help us to see how there is no division between the spiritual and the temporal, the worldly and the eternal. All things when properly oriented will work together for our good and His glory. Once we have properly nested our mortal experiences into a celestial framework, we will be able to channel our appetites, desires, and passions down the path that the Lord has set for us. But we can't do any of this if we try to stay standing and do it all on our own. We have to fall to our knees in prayer, first for Christ's help, and then in gratitude when He has poured out His mercy upon us.
