Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:39
We find or lose our lives by degrees. It typically happens in installments.
We find our lives by daily choosing our own will over that of God. It is important to realize that it is indeed an either/or decision. It cannot be both. Sin has turned our heart away from God. We do not naturally desire the things He commands. Without a conscious effort to choose His will, we can be pretty sure we are pursuing our own- contrary to His. This is what our Lord means when He refers to finding our life.
To lose our life means just the opposite. We choose to follow God's will contrary to our own. Again, this takes place by degrees. It comes in installments. We do not choose once to follow the Lord and that settles it for a lifetime. Rather, we must choose daily, even moment by moment, that we will obey God. As we do, we are losing our life. Incidentally, we may be persuaded to see in this verse the call to martyrdom. We may think that Jesus is telling us that if it comes down to it, and we must give our lives for our faith, then we must be willing to do so. Certainly, that is a part of it. But we will never choose martyrdom if we have not chosen the smaller "deaths" on a daily basis. This call of our Lord is something that must be lived out every day.
So how will I live this out? Well, it's Monday, and Mondays are crazy, as they are for many of us. There will be many demands made on my time. Numerous people will be asking for my help. It can all get pretty crazy sometimes. Thanks be to God! For He has provided the perfect setting for me to learn to die daily. I will have multiple opportunities today to choose the cross rather than my own comfort. I pray I will be up to the challenge, and, if I fail, that by God's grace I will keep trying.
What about the smaller "deaths"? There are so many. Will I choose the cross in my meals? In slight conveniences? In comfort? With my leisure time? In my family? The list goes on and on. The truth is that we are faced with this decision countless times throughout a day.
Must we fulfill this command perfectly or risk damnation? I doubt it. One would have to be perfected. Yet, there is no mistaking that this is the road the Lord calls us to travel. By His grace we will succeed.
2 comments:
That is right on the money Keith. I'm a member of AA, and a prayer that I say every morning is "God, I offer myself to Thee - to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"
That is a daily prayer for me now, and I meditate on it throughout the day. It has had an amazing impact on my life, and helps me to get out of myself, where self-centeredness lies, and closer to God-centered. It is a work in progress, every day, just like you say. Truth to the core.
Good prayer Rick. Thanks for the note.
Post a Comment