Laying My Life Down Daily

Reading the June 16 entry from Oswald Chambers "My Utmost For His Highest" was pretty thought provoking for me.

It is easy to be like Peter and in a moment or phase of being "on fire" for the Lord we sacrifice our life for His cause. Most, if not all religions have examples where they have called on followers to die in the name of their religion. In today's world, the suicide bombers of radical Islam are the strongest example of that kind of thinking. If that person has a moment of courage to kill themselves while killing other innocents, they believe they will go to paradise.

How much more difficult is it to instead live in this fallen world and daily live in the way that Jesus has called us to live? The "Yes" that we give to Jesus is a challenge for our sin wracked souls to do - to lay aside our pridefulness and acknowledge the wretchedness within us. I can only speak for myself, but I ran from God for a long time because I didn't want to give up my sins and change my life. It wasn't until I took stock of my life and realized that it was headed to meaninglessness that I finally gave my life over to God.

Yet, how much more difficult is it to live our lives as a follower of God day in and day out? Everything and I mean ever-y-thing around us, even in the United States, is drenched in sin and distraction. While we may not have the animism of tribal Philippines or advanced Japan, we certainly have a pervasive materialism that has invaded our daily lives. With that materialism comes all types of sins as men sacrifice their lives in pursuit of obtaining worldly wealth.

And that is my personal challenge. Lord Jesus, help me to lay aside myself on a daily basis. Am I serving You in the things that I pursue? Have I cleared off my personal schedule enough to see the little ways that I can serve the people around me? Although it scares my flesh in the ways that You might redirect my life with this prayer, I pray for Your strength to do whatever You would have me do. In Jesus' name, AMEN.