To Encourage You

John 18:25 “Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, ‘You also are not one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’”

Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”

Following Jesus is not a comfortable way to live. That’s why many refuse to do it.  To truly serve the Master and Lord of all means we do what He says, no matter what the cost to us.  Many take great comfort in their hobbies, or their relationships, or their sin.  They wouldn’t give these things up for anything in all the world – and certainly not for Jesus.  Indeed, Jesus warned any who would follow Him to count the cost.  He said the following to those who would serve Him, something that may seem outrageous to those who won’t: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37-39). 

So, what does it mean to actually “lose your life” in this way?   It means it’s lost to you.  It’s not yours anymore. You’re no longer the boss.  You don’t do things based on what feels good, but on what is good.   If following Jesus means that, tragically, there are family and friends that will desert you, then so be it.  It’s a costly thing.  It hurts.  It touches the deepest parts of one’s life. But that’s just it.  It’s not your life anymore.  It’s now His to do with as He pleases, but in the end, it’s a life that is found, not lost.  It’s found for all eternity.  It’s eternal life, in exchange for a life that’s focused only on the here and now.  And in that it’s a life that comes from Him, a new life, it’s a life that has the same desires that His life does.  It’s one with Him.  He’s the vine and we are the branches.  One life, united, committed, bound with Him for all eternity. 

Of course, we can reject all this and claim that this life is ours and ours alone.  That’s ok and certainly we have freedom to go that way. But in the end, whoever chooses such a life will lose it.  On the other hand, as the missionary Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” 

So, what’s your choice, as you consider this?