sacrificial life

Matthew 16:21-28

 

Jesus knew what He was here to do:

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

And He calls us to do the same:

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

How did Jesus know that He was going to die and be raised to life?  Because He was a prophet and spent so much time with the Father in prayer.  Maybe if I spent more time in prayer, I would have a better idea of how the Lord wants to spend my life.  And maybe I would be more willing to give my life to Him instead of to this world.

 

I feel like there is a fine line between working hard to honor God in your vocation versus working hard to please yourself or someone else.  I don't know where I am right now.  My heart is so easily deceived. 

 

Heavenly Father, please purify my heart.  Lord, I want to follow Christ, and I know that I have to lay down my own life to do that.  Please help me know how to do that.  What are the desires that I need to give up?  What are the desires that I need to follow because they are from you?  Lord, please help me follow you.  Lord, please help me live a sacrificial life. I want to be a disciple of Jesus.  Please help me.  I love you, Lord.  Amen.