Luke 9:25
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
We tend to live our lives without thought or care as to the eternal ramifications to the decisions we make.
We have a band-aid mentality when it comes to dealing with the issues and situations life throws at us every day.
We have a band-aid mentality when it comes to dealing with the issues and situations life throws at us every day.
We want to do only what is necessary to stop the pain now. Never mind the consequences that may come later.
Even in our relationship with Jesus, we want him to come and take the pain, remove the hurt and make everything better. What does it profit us to gain relief from pain if we don't see or understand the eternal things of God.'
In the Matthew passage we are told that there is a trade off.
Either decide for the temporal things of this world, or decide for the eternal presence and relationship with God. Since most live by their appetites a.k.a. sinful nature, we feed the one that screams the loudest. That would be our sin nature.
In the process of doing so, we are losing our very lives.
We can't see because the sin appetite demands attention now.
We can't hear because the sin appetite demands to be fed now.
Verse 24 reads:
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
All a matter of dying to self.
A surrender of will and choice to live by the will and choice of God.
A walking out daily of refusing to have my way in order to embrace His way.
God help us all....
mb
2 comments:
The easy way out is to put a band-aid on our problems. But Jesus calls us to deal with them. Take up your cross and follow me is the call Jesus is still making to his disciples today.
As step 3 says, "I made a decision to turn my life and will over to the care of God..." Also, the 'Step 3 prayer' on pg. 63 of the AA text includes these lines:
God, I offer myself to Thee-- to build with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will.
THIS is why I am so grateful for Recovery Michael...because the 'remedy' is a daily life of abandonment and fierce accountability -- consistent with these powerful words of Christ. I don't live it perfectly...but His grace continues to carry me along. Thank you for your friendship and words from His heart...
Lane
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