John 12:25-26 Love it and Lose it! Capitulated, Surrendered, and Committed
John 12:25-26 Love it and Lose it! Capitulated, Surrendered, and Committed
"I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest."
"Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.] If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him."
Capitulated, Surrendered, and Committed
I think far too often, I like to mentally skip over verses like this (there are similar verses in all three Gospels). The challenge of these verses is continually convicting and it is even a stinging reminder that I may have spent the better part of my life ignoring the whole/complete call of the Gospel. How in the world could I have missed this vital understanding of the Gospel message. Jesus calls me to be full out committed. When I accepted Christ, I surrendered my own prosperity and even my own life to follow Him.
I know that for years in my life, I too Jesus and added Him to what I already had. I was content to have "Jesus too." Had you asked me if I was a believer, I would have emphatically said, "Yes, Jesus is my Savior"; however, was He truly Lord of my life? Had I been like that seed that had to be broken? Had I really died to myself to live for Him? Had I capitulated, surrendered and committed my life? I sometimes hate to answer my own questions about that. I know now that my life is fully surrendered... I know that only because I got up this morning and died again.
I have weighed the cost and continually want to count the cost of being His follower. In this passage, Jesus asks me to continually follow Him and wherever He goes I should follow. I know that Jesus' journey ended at the cross... Matthew 10 tells us to take up our cross and follow Him! I am being called to give up my life in this world to gain my life in the next!
Love it and Lose it!
How antithetical is it that in order for me to know the fullness of my salvation, that I have to die to myself to live for Christ! I'm not exactly sure what that looks like, but I know that I am trying to die daily. I know that the Spirit leads me daily and that I want to fully be controlled by Him. I know that I cherish my time with God in prayer and reading. I know that I am willing to have my life inconvenienced at a moment's notice to lead one more to a knowledge of Him. I know that my life doesn't look anything like what it did 10 years ago. My hopes and aspirations for life have all changed, and I want so badly to see revival in the land. I know that I want to be like the seed that is in verse 25. I want to be broken so that new growth will spring forth and the harvest will be plentiful because of me being broken. I do love my life, but I love the thought of people coming to know Christ FULLY even more. If He is calling me to die even more, then I am willing to do it! I want to die to my own selfishness to live for Him. I love my life, but I am willing to lose it to see His Kingdom prosper.
"Heavenly Father, I am willing to be like that seed which was broken. I know that I am called to continually follow You. I know that just like Jesus was broken before me, that I am called to follow His footsteps. I want to lose my life for You. Spirit, please lead me to a deeper understanding of how I can be broken... How I can lose my life even more for You. Jesus, thank You for giving it all for me! I acknowledge the commitment that You are asking for in this passage and I want to follow you fully! It is in the name of Jesus Christ, the Victor, I pray, Amen!"
Created 10 months ago
