“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
“And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” John 12:23
Jesus counseled His disciples in view of His sufferings and self-sacrifice for our redemption on Calvary’s cross. Many times we don’t think about a certain situation until we are forced to go through with it, and then we devote our thoughts to see what is best.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” John 12:24
Life is comparable to many things. In His spiritual teaching, Christ compared it to seed. If you buy a pound of seed corn and never plant it, all you will have is a pound of seed corn. But if you plant it, the harvest will produce bushels of luscious corn!
“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” John 12:25
Thus the application. Many things are naturally desirable. Theyare more of a gratification to the flesh than a hardship. Such are the things of this world: pleasure, making money, and having and enjoying material possessions are gratifying and self fulfilling.
But when it comes to a real service to God, this is not gratifying to the flesh. Christ’s life is described as: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3
Before His arrest, He was under great travail in Gethsemane: “Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matthew 26:38-39
“And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44
Christ overrode His personal travail, by keeping His heart and mind set on accomplishing God’s will and purpose: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” John 12:27
ARE WE WILLING to invest our life as seed into the service of God, overriding all the difficulty by keeping our heart and mind set on why God has left us on this earth?
SHARING
