PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 10

What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?

“Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)
Jesus is not urging people to choose death, but to choose him and his way!
He relates this to taking up the cross, like he did (Matthew 10:38).
Jesus took up the cross for love of others; he sacrificed himself for love.
Jesus calls us to devote our lives to loving others, not just ourselves.
This includes loving our family and our neighbors, strangers and enemies.
But cross-shaped love for strangers and enemies may upset our families.
They may accuse us of not loving them, or even hating them (Luke 14:26).
We are not actually to hate our family, or love them less.
In truth, IF we love Jesus most, we will love family more, and others too.
To lose our life for Jesus sake is to sacrifice ourselves in love for others.
It is not choosing to die, but choosing to love, whatever the cost.
God honours this love, using it to bring life to others, and to us.
It may seem we are losing out on life, but we are actually increasing it.
Loving Jesus and others first improves life; loving ourselves first lessens it.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, help me to choose to love you, and others. This is the key to the good life, life to full.