November 11, 2005
Friday
In Matthew 16:25, the Lord said, "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
I can say that it is easier for me to loose my life for Your sake in Christ today because basically, I am jobless so to speak, and I do not have any sound financial investments and savings in the bank. The truth of the matter today is that I am bankrupt, totally dependent on Your provisions that supports our existence from day to day. Maybe this is also one of the reasons why I could devote more time in Your service. Will my devotion and commitment to serve You really stand in case You decide to grant all the material things I desire?
I know that I failed miserably with regards to the opportunities and blessings that You have lavishly given me in the past. I have no excuses for that, maybe such failures on the positive side became a learning experience and a gateway for me to know You more. I have lost a life but in Your goodness and grace, I have found the value of true life in You!
You brought me to a new city where You begun in me a new life with You. What comes next is all up to You. You know very well what is in my mind and heart, my hopes, dreams, and aspirations, for You are the One who created me. You know what is best for me and my family and I live it all up to You. At present, as I patiently wait upon You, Your will and revelations, I humbly stand in obedience to Your will and purpose for this new found life that You have given me.
I shared my wife today Your words that struck me. It is not by accident that You have again emphasized this reading taken from the book "Experiencing God" to be exactly the same as that of the Gospel today.
LEGITIMATE RIGHTS
Christians are commanded to lose their lives. This means they ought to deliberately release their lives to God and His kingdom. One of the greatest hindrances to your being on mission with God will be your view of what constitutes your "legitimate rights" - that is, those things that you feel you have a right to experience and enjoy. It's not difficult to turn over to Christ those things that are not a sacrifice or that you would prefer to do without anyway. Rather, it is the things that are good and that are dear to you that may stand between you and God's will.
ANOTHER CITY
It's good to be near your grown children and grandchildren, for example, but God may want you to go to another city or continent on mission with Him. It's good to get adequate rest, but you may receive a call of distress in the middle of the night. You may assume that you have a right to certain material things, yet God may ask you to release all of your possessions to Him and His purposes (Matt. 19:21).
RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE
Jesus modeled perfectly this attitude toward life. He had a legitimate right to enjoy the comforts of heaven. Yet, He did not look at it as a right He should hold on to; nor did He see leaving all that was His as a sacrifice too costly to make (Phil. 2:5-11). As a result, God highly exalted Him and brought salvation to a broken world.
Has the world convinced you that there are certain rights that you must protect? Are you trying to save your life? Have you noticed that in doing so, you are actually losing the life God wants you to have?
