LifeLink Devotions for Monday, May 27, 2024

 Solomon understood a dynamic principle of God’s kingdom – life is experienced to the fullest when it is given away.

This principle applies to every area of our lives, and yes, even to life itself. Just think of the truths presented in Scripture to support this principle:

       Acts 20:24 – Paul says, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

       Philippians 3:7 – Paul says, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.”

Mark 10:28 – Peter said to Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you!”

Luke 9:23 – Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

All these examples, and many more like them from Scripture, give us a clear statement that in God’s eternal plan for the fulfillment of man’s existence, there must be death for real life to occur. In John 12:23-25, Jesus said,  “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”  

When we finally reach the point of admitting that the life we are trying to attain is unattainable in our own strength and by our own efforts, and we choose to die to that pursuit of what the world calls life, we will cry out to the God who created all life and who is able to provide true life abundantly, and He will give it to us through His Son Jesus Christ!

When we have received that incredible and generous gift of forgiveness and eternal life, we will be filled with the Holy Spirit’s power and motivation to apply the “give it away” principle to every area of our lives. If we are looking for joy, then we must give joy away. If we are looking for peace, then be a peacemaker. If we are looking for security, then we must give away our trust in all the world offers as security and trust God alone. I challenge you to live by this principle in all areas of your life and discover the fullness that God brings that goes beyond my explanation. I have never felt better about life and who I am than when I am giving myself away for the sake of another person. You will feel the same fulfillment.

Pastor John