Lay Down Your Life

Peter told Jesus the night of His capture and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, “I will lay down my life for you.” It strikes me as ironic that Peter was volunteering to do what Jesus was literally about to do not only for him, but for the whole world (John 3:16).  As Jesus addressed His disciples in answer to Peter, He told them, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.” (John 16:12-13)What do you think this means? How can we “lay down our life for our friends”?  

I think one way we can get our minds around what this means is to consider this: when we have to go through a heavy trial or experience that is painful, having forward-looking vision of how our experience is going to equip us to comfort and encourage another person down the road (who will be walking where we have already walked) can give our experience a deeper meaning. In this way we are literally laying down our lives for each other.  So many times the trials we find ourselves experiencing may seem to have no purpose at all. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul says that “God is faithful” in the same breath he says that “no temptation has overtaken us that is not common to man.” In Romans 8:28 he encourages us with the knowledge that “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

 

Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:12)…He was willing to go through the horror of crucifixion because the fruit of His death, your salvation, brought Him so much joy! My prayer is that this focus will help you walk where you are called to walk with more joy, considering that no experience is ever wasted on those who love God.

Things to think about:

 

 

Have you been in or are you now in a heavy trial that seemed to have no higher meaning or purpose?

Can you see how your experience might be used by God to position you in a place to strengthen someone else down the road who has the same trial to go through?  Are you willing to walk where God has ordained that you walk in order to be able to offer comfort and encouragement to a brother or sister?

How does Jesus’ selflessness in the hour of His death strengthen you to offer your life and your life’s experiences to help out another?

Let’s share here how God is working in our lives to serve others in need through our own difficult experiences.