ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DIE

Wow!  What a thought!  But Jesus says in John 13:38a, "Would you really die for me?"


"This question was asked of Peter, and immediately following, Jesus said Peter would deny him three times before the cock crowed the next morning.  Peter was so sure he had the gumption to die for Jesus, but he could not even admit he knew Him.  Jesus knew Peter wouldn't actually die for Him.  He knew.  He knew Peter would deny Him, unable to be truthful that he was Jesus' friend, the on-trial Jesus who would not fight for His own life.


"Am I like Peter?  Is this a question that Jesus asks of me?  Would I really die for Jesus?  It's hard to put myself in the place of Peter.  Or put myself in the place of having to, literally, die for Jesus.  There is a figurative death, a death of self, and I suppose, this is the death Jesus is speaking of.  This death too is a difficult one, for me.  I have asked for it many times, but somehow, my "self" always becomes resurrected and not by the Holy Spirit!


"It's a hard thing to die to self.  From the time I was an infant, I have fought for my own rights.  Now, Jesus asks me to die for Him, for the right to be One with Him.  And I must give up my rights  in order to be One with Him.  But that is the place I want to be.  All I have to do is to die to the rights of myself.


"Jesus, I want to live in You and be One with You.  Will you help me to die for you, Jesus? Amen."


This was written 10 years ago, and I doubt that I am entirely "dead" to self, but in some areas of my life, I think I may be on the way to "death."  At least, I am encouraged to continue the battle of "self."


May you, too, want to be dead to self and alive to Jesus!
Jo INMN