Losing Life, Gaining Life

24 Oct Losing Life, Gaining Life

In a meeting with some leaders one day, the Pastor was trying to encourage them to wake up to their responsibilities as leaders and work on their attitude towards attendance to Church and their other obligations in God’s house as leaders.

“You must realize that our lives are not all about Church, we have other responsibilities too.” One of the leaders commented

The pastor wished that had not been mentioned because others who were already feeling remorse and beginning to mention their willingness to improve suddenly tilted towards that statement.
I hear believers say: “because of my wife, my husband, my children, my business…. I will not be able to go for God or His kingdom.”
And I cannot help but wonder if they stand before The Almighty face to face, they could muster the strength to give those reasons, and if they sincerely thought those excuses would pass God’s test.

I was in a meeting several years ago when the scripture from Acts 2:46 of how the Church used to gather daily in the temple as an inspiration for Christians today not to think gathering together often as too much.
“Times are different, you will be here by yourself.” One of the believers said.

Another time a man who was being encouraged to speak to the lost about Christ said, “I don’t have the time, you see, I travel a lot for my business. My money will go for me.”

I find that believers seem to think more of their comfort and convenience these days than God and His call on us to His service and the kingdom’s. This shouldn’t be, as the one who has called us into His kingdom expects us to make every necessary sacrifice in His service and the gospel’s. He sacrificed everything, His own very life, and He expects us to lay down our own lives, comforts, conveniences and everything for Him and the gospel. Service unto God CANNOT always be convenient, it is that sacrificial service that really touches the heart of God, that lets Him know that we truly mean it when we say that we love Him.  When we are willing to lay everything down in pursuit of God and the expansion of His kingdom, it speaks volumes of our love for God. Love cannot be without sacrifice and every sacrifice has its reward.

Having real life comes from losing it in God’s service, any one who seeks to preserve his life, comfort, leisure, and convenience will lose it ultimately. We must all make up our minds to give God our all and our best, He deserves it and He demands it too.

For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting]. Matthew 16:25 (AMP)

Jesus said, Truly I tell you, there is no one who has given up and left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for My sake and for the Gospel’s. Who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. Mark 10:30 (AMP)

Is there any excuse you have for not serving God like you should?
Is there something you can and would gladly do about it?

Copyright© Ugochi Oritsejolomisan  2013

Photo Credit: WallPapersHD