That is what Jesus calls us to. When we sacrifice, we are picking up our cross daily, we are acknowledging that Jesus is Lord over our lives, and we are trusting in who He is, in what He says, and in His plan and purpose over our lives. Sacrifice in the Old Testament, from the covenant God made with Moses, was about bringing animals to the alter. Thankfully, we got out of that, here, on this side of the cross. We are free from that type of sacrifice because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. In Him, our way to the Father has been fully restored. But, we cannot be too quick to think that it will be easy or that we do not have a part to play. Following Jesus, picking up our cross daily, it is a great sacrifice that we make. We die to ourselves to fully embrace this life God has called us to.
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” Luke 9:23-24
My biggest and best goal for 2024 is to re-read the whole bible (pray for me!) And as I have begun a study that goes along with this goal, I have been diving deep into Genesis and Matthew. There was an excerpt from the devotional the other day that really hit me. It is my reality, what God has been teaching me over the last two years. From the devotional, I felt God saying to me, “Allie, you have learned this, now, wherever it is I lead you next, keep this close to you, do not forget it.” Here is what I read, my confirmation to just keep on loving Jesus:
“Jesus calls his disciples to be willing to sacrifice everything for his sake: ‘Anyone who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me’ (Matthew 10:37) Your love for Jesus should exceed even the greatest love you have for those closest to you.” ~Nicky Gumbel
That last sentence kind of hit me like a ton of bricks. And yet, the truth is, this “living sacrifice” is how we get closer to God. Even when that means loving Him more than the people closest to us. This has been one of the hardest lessons I have learned in my life and yet, it has also been the one that has drawn me closest to God. It is how we hear Him more clearly. It is how we begin to learn what His will is over our lives. And in these moments of sacrifice I remind myself of two things:
- It’s temporary.
- God will use me in ways I could never imagine.
This idea of a “living sacrifice” is so radically different from what the world says. The world tells us to be self-focused. To take care of ourselves; to seek money/fortune/fame; to do what we want, when we want; to compare; to put ourselves above and below others. My friend reminded me the other day that really, no matter our title, we are all humans. At the core of who we are, we are all the same. We are all children of God. We are all loved by God. To know that, is to be able to have the radical faith to lay down our own lives. And we are called, not to die to ourselves one time, but over and over again.
For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you. 1 Corinthians 15:31
When we do this, when we make the choice to trust God, to take delight in Him, to commit ourselves to Him, to be still before Him, and to put our hope in Him, then He promises us a freedom, a peace, a life we never knew was possible. In Psalm 37 you can read about all that He promises. Here are a few:
- Vs. 4: He will give you the desires of your heart.
- Vs. 6: He will reward you.
- Vs. 9: He will give you your inheritance.
- Vs. 23: He will make your steps firm.
- Vs. 24: He will not let you fall.
- Vs. 34: He will exalt you.
- Vs. 39: He will be your stronghold.
When we make this choice, it is by God alone that we are able to move from focusing on ourselves to focusing on Him. We begin to understand that this world, it is not about us, our agenda, or getting what we want. This earthly realm is about God, about His Kingdom, His people and how we get them to eternity. How we are to be the salt of the earth and the light in the world. This is the commandment of our lives. To live like Jesus. To live sacrificially, live with outward-focused hearts. To love like Jesus.
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. John 15:12
Love and blessings,
Radical Road 