Jesus is just dying to save you, lead you, and love you.
Are you dying to believe him, follow him, and trust him with everything you've got?
Here is a sequence of statements Jesus made that will inspire your commitment to him today.
"Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead" (Matthew 8:22). Jesus confronts disordered love, when one of his followers excuses himself because of his father's funeral.
He either needed to plan it or participate in it. Whatever the circumstances, Jesus knew them, knew the man's conditional commitment better than the man knew it himself, then called him out. Because Jesus wanted the man to truly live, with more life than his earthly father or family could give him.
Do you believe this? What do you love so much in your life that it holds you back from Jesus? What occupies your thoughts? What ignites your fears? What takes your time and attention? "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it" (Matthew 16:25).
This is more of a promise than a command. Notice the "will" in Jesus' words. He is saying that there is a life waiting for you, and you will not find it if you choose it or design it. You will—WILL—find it if you don't choose it and instead Jesus chooses it for you. You will live it fully if Jesus designs it for you.
By the way, Jesus did for you exactly what he is asking you to do for him. "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord" (John 10:17,18).
No matter where you are in your life, Jesus has a place for you in his. And it is out of this world.
His crucified life sacrificed everything for you. His resurrected life guarantees you a new life forgiven of past mistakes, a chance to start over again, and a hopeful future. So follow him more than anything.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, no matter where I am in my life, you have a place for me in yours. You choose it and design it for me better than I ever could. Give me the faith to find it and follow you. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Spend time today and over the weekend in Matthew chapter 8.
- Before reading, say a prayer, asking for God to grant you new understanding and appreciation for what he wants you to learn.
- Read it all the way through. Mentally note anything you are noticing.
- Read through it again, and meditate on this: What are the people in need looking for in life? How does Jesus respond to them (as in, pay attention to the things Jesus does and says to draw them closer to his life of grace, forgiveness, and healing)?
No comments:
Post a Comment