“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the father told me.”
(John 15: 13-15, NLT)
If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because if cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.” And Jesus says to us, “… I have called you friends …” Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.
(from My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers)
Today I am joining … Give Me Grace and Word of God Speak and Spiritual Sundays .
The last two days your blog posts have spoken specifically to me and where I’m at in my own heart and life. Thank you so much!
Thank you for letting me know that, Elizabeth. I am grateful that I shared what God alone placed on my heart.
Laying down one’s life happens in so many ways … leisure … goals … standing up for one friend while risking another friendship … Wonderfully, we have a Companion who has our backs (and our dreams) in His loving hands.
Wonderful point, Donna. Laying down our lives takes many forms which require sacrifice and giving of ourselves. May our hearts always be willing. Blessings!