Matthew 10:39 (NLT)
39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if
you give up your life for me, you will find it.
The Apostles were being sent out as missionaries to go to
the people of Israel. Jesus gave them some words of wisdom as they were about
to depart. One reminder was the verse above. If a person holds on to their
sinful life it will be eventually lost; but for those who give up their life
for Jesus they will find a new life intended for them.
Christ says, "Give me all. I don't want so much of
your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you. I
have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures
are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there. I want
to have the whole tree down. I don't want to drill the tooth, or crown it, or
stop it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires
which you think are innocent as well as the ones you think are wicked—the whole
outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you myself: my
own will shall become yours."
—C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
So often we want to hold onto parts of our life, even the
damaging parts. A show that hosted Dr. Drew called Celebrity Rehab was about
celebrities with addictions. They went in for treatment because they had a hard
time letting go of their problems. Many had held so tight to their addictions
and for so long they were about to die. As some of the shows went on we learned
some did die, because they went back to their old habits.
Christ calls us to give up our entire life and turn it
over to Him. As we release ourselves to Christ, we begin to change. I have
known some people who had very corrupt lives, but gave up their life to Christ.
They changed so quickly people could no longer believe they were the same
person. This is what Christ wants, for us to do, release everything to Him;
even the things we think are good about ourselves. Christ will then give us
back a life that is worth living for. Are you willing to let go and trust
Christ?
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