Following Jesus Means Loving Him More Than Our Own Life
OPENING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I open up my heart to you today. Amen.
“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Matthew 16:25, John 12:24 (NIV)
REFLECT:
In the scripture above Jesus is talking about giving up your life and just before he said this, he told Peter, one of his disciples, that he would be killed in Jerusalem. Peter said he would essentially not let that happen and Jesus told Peter he was focused on human concerns above what God’s plan was.
It’s only natural to be like Peter and think of what’s best for us at the moment. At the time, Peter couldn’t see that Jesus dying in Jerusalem would be the best thing that’s ever happened for mankind. We, too, see abandoning our way of life, leaving sinful habits behind, surrendering more of our life to Jesus as sometimes the hardest thing or yet, the worst thing, we could do.
APPLY:
The second scripture above describes this perfectly: in order for the seed to bring life, it must die. What would it look like for you today if you became like the seed? You abandoned human thoughts like Peter and gained a heart for what Jesus wants instead. What if today you were willing to come to the end of yourself by laying your life down in front of Jesus?
By laying your life down at Jesus’ feet and becoming an offering, more life will flow through you than you can see right now.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I lay down my life as an offering at your feet this morning. Make me a vessel of your love and purpose. Amen.
CONTINUED READING:
Mark 9:35
WORSHIP: