Devotion:
Read Matthew 16:24-26.
Someone has said that giving himself as a sacrifice (or the cross) was not just the way Jesus died, it was the way he lived. In this teaching moment with his disciples, he makes it clear that sacrifice is to be the way of life for his followers. It is about following his example of praying “Not my will, but yours be done.” It is growing away from a focus on yourself and your own desires and learning to focus on the needs of others. It is about giving away what you have, not just from your abundance, so that you still have a lot, but giving sacrificially.
Give some thought to his follow-up comments here. “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” What are some of the ways you try to “save your life”? Sometimes we try to save our reputation by staying away from certain people and situations, afraid of what people might think. We might be unwilling to go serve those in need in certain parts of the city because of some perceived danger there. We are often tempted to keep more resources than we really need, out of fear that we might run short at some point.
It is possible for any of us to live a good life and do good for others, but always doing it in such a way that keeps us safe. It’s hard to make sacrifices. But it is the way of our Lord.
Personal Worship Option:
Think about sacrifices you have made for the cause of Christ. Give thanks to God for those opportunities. What is the next sacrifice you are willing to make to help someone come to know him?
No comments:
Post a Comment