Inside every person created, is a longing to live the life that God created them to live. The abundant life. As we know, life in God’s Kingdom is not like life modeled and promoted here on earth. In the world, those who are last are looked down upon and considered unimportant, but in God’s economy, He assures us that the first shall be last and the last first (Matthew 20:16). Jesus declares,
“Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.”
Matthew 16:25 (NIV)
Abundance involves loss? To find what I want, I have to lose what I have? What is Jesus trying to tell us? I believe that the answer, as always, is found in the cross. It was here that death resulted in life, and great loss, resulted in immeasurable gain – God’s economy at work.
If I want to receive what Jesus has promised in John 10:10, I must choose to live the way He has instructed.
“For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for my glory, you will continually discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep.”
Matthew 16:25 (TPT)
I believe that is the challenge in living an abundant life – to live a life of self-sacrifice in a world that cries out at every turn “What about Me?!” How do we find the strength and the will to do it? We don’t. Remember Kingdom living – be of good cheer, Christ has already done it! In our weakness He is strong, and our will is empowered in submission to His will.
When self raises its voice and begins the cry, “What about me?” remind it that it is all about Jesus. Let us focus on the cross and on the sacrificial, submitted life Christ has modeled for us. Let us open wide our hearts, embracing the truth that we are loved, and we have purpose. Let us live our lives for Him alone.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, we ask You to open the eyes of our hearts that we would see our lives here on earth from Your Kingdom perspective. Give us revelation that Jesus has already given us His life so that we may live abundantly right now in this moment and every one that follows. Thank You that we do not have to be slaves to self but are free to follow You. We choose to lose our lives for Your glory and in so doing, embrace true life.
Amen