My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12-13
Have you ever really thought about this verse? Really thought about it? About how it could mean so much more? The laying down your life means more than dying.
Laying down your life for a friend...what could that mean?
Jesus did it for us. With great grace. In our fallible and human way can we try to do less?
What in your life can be laid down for a friend? Your expectations? Your need to judge or be right. Perhaps you need to lay down the need for them to 'pay you back' or 'set things right'. Maybe it is bigger than that!
What if laying down your life meant laying down a dream? Bending down to help someone stand up again? What if it meant leaving behind the life you made for the one God created for you?
After reading my Bible and praying I believe that there is more to this verse than our physical death. It is our physical life! The food in your freezer (or garden). The extra clothes you've been keeping. The LIFE you build and cling to needs to be let go in love. The thing you want to sell, maybe needs to be shared? That desire of your heart should be surrendered to the desire of God's will.
Our lives are meant to be lived fully and lived full of grace and that requires living. Not dying. No in acting like we've died because we are giving. We need to face life full of love, and joy and in that loving joy share our lives. Our time, our bread and wine (figuratively and literally).
Do you understand why? It isn't ours to start with! God provides us with everything we need, we provide the loving labour to work for His kingdom. It is HIS anyway. Why are we so selfish with what isn't ours? Share a smile, a hug, a quick text.
Lay down your reputation and speak up for someone. Lay down your life to show someone living grace. Speak up for people trying again and again. Speak up for those with no voice, no hope and be the vessel of God's hope, love and voice. Lay down your uniform of the day. Bare that soul down to the laugh lines and fearful moments. God wants our lives to be lived.
Do you want a life of 'wish I had' or a life of 'glad I did'?
It is a sad and horrific fact that many saints have died for Jesus. But it is an even sadder and more horrific fact that many thousands more have failed to live on day for Him. Millions cry for relief, some of them are in your home, your family, your church.
Willing to die for our faith has long been held as a 'gold standard' but I truly believe the real challenge in laying down our lives is to continue doing so, and finding in the sacrifice that we begin to live the life God wanted us to live all along!
Love without shame. Show grace with radical freedom. Don't stop believing that God has something amazing waiting for us to step towards Him in utter faith.
Laying down your life for a friend...what could that mean?
Jesus did it for us. With great grace. In our fallible and human way can we try to do less?
What in your life can be laid down for a friend? Your expectations? Your need to judge or be right. Perhaps you need to lay down the need for them to 'pay you back' or 'set things right'. Maybe it is bigger than that!
What if laying down your life meant laying down a dream? Bending down to help someone stand up again? What if it meant leaving behind the life you made for the one God created for you?
After reading my Bible and praying I believe that there is more to this verse than our physical death. It is our physical life! The food in your freezer (or garden). The extra clothes you've been keeping. The LIFE you build and cling to needs to be let go in love. The thing you want to sell, maybe needs to be shared? That desire of your heart should be surrendered to the desire of God's will.
Our lives are meant to be lived fully and lived full of grace and that requires living. Not dying. No in acting like we've died because we are giving. We need to face life full of love, and joy and in that loving joy share our lives. Our time, our bread and wine (figuratively and literally).
Do you understand why? It isn't ours to start with! God provides us with everything we need, we provide the loving labour to work for His kingdom. It is HIS anyway. Why are we so selfish with what isn't ours? Share a smile, a hug, a quick text.
Lay down your reputation and speak up for someone. Lay down your life to show someone living grace. Speak up for people trying again and again. Speak up for those with no voice, no hope and be the vessel of God's hope, love and voice. Lay down your uniform of the day. Bare that soul down to the laugh lines and fearful moments. God wants our lives to be lived.
Do you want a life of 'wish I had' or a life of 'glad I did'?
It is a sad and horrific fact that many saints have died for Jesus. But it is an even sadder and more horrific fact that many thousands more have failed to live on day for Him. Millions cry for relief, some of them are in your home, your family, your church.
Willing to die for our faith has long been held as a 'gold standard' but I truly believe the real challenge in laying down our lives is to continue doing so, and finding in the sacrifice that we begin to live the life God wanted us to live all along!
Love without shame. Show grace with radical freedom. Don't stop believing that God has something amazing waiting for us to step towards Him in utter faith.
Yes. I radically agree. So beautifully said! Thank you. A perfect post to end my very long day today!
ReplyDeleteGraciously, Dawn
Bless you Dawn, so glad it was something that spoke to you. Keeping you in my prayers!
ReplyDeletenice post thanks for sharing...blessings soraya
ReplyDelete