Last week, I talked about that constant stress of climbing the next hill in front of you. Most of us feel like we need to work really hard at conquering the next obstacle and we forget that God has already done the hard work and we can actually rest with Him and let Him do the heavy lifting. One of the key realities of the Kingdom of God is that life springs from death. That doesn’t always mean a literal “death,” but sometimes means the death of your pride, or your world-driven dreams. In the verse below, Jesus expects His disciples to live and die in the same way, because He made them to bear fruit (in Him)! As long as we hold on to the world and our old ways, it is impossible to fully grow with Christ.
John 12:24 (NIV)
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.
So, What… for This Week?
Ironically, by loving and holding on to our life in this world, you lose it for the next, which is an infinitely greater loss. Lay down your life at the feet of Jesus. Die with Him in order to live in Him. In this way, you will bear fruit, perhaps a hundredfold (Matthew 13:1-20). If you are not willing to die, both figuratively and even physically for the sake of Christ, you will not see the Kingdom of God.Take some this week and notice where you’re still striving to climb a mountain…That ladder of success perhaps. Re-evaluate your priorities. Talk to your spouse, or a close friend who will tell you the truth, about what is MOST important in your life. Whatever you put your emphasis on, will model to those that you influence to do the same thing. So try modeling JESUS this week and give ONE thing up for Him!