April 3, 2019

     For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it (Mark 8:35).
 
    This is Christ's challenge: "Fling away life to keep it."
 
    Fra Angelico renounced wealth, ease, and luxury, and by fasting wasted to a shadow, kneeling as he painted.  John Howard renounced his patrician position in society in favor of the poor.  The apostle Paul turned from national leadership and honor to poverty and persecution for the love of Christ.  And our Savior "made himself of no reputation" and came to earth as a Son of man, and was made subject unto death, "even the death of the cross," for our sakes.  "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:7-9).
 
    All the heroes, martyrs, and refiners of the past, and multitudes of missionaries and everyday Christians of the present, have left lands, houses, homes, dear ones, ambition, and have gone forth to sacrificial service for God.  Losing life, they fount it.  It is by denying self and taking up their cross that the disciples of Jesus truly follow Him, and so, losing their life, find it.
 
    What could be more foolish than for people to make first things last; to gain all this world, and yet lose their soul--themselves?  "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:37).  So, in language the weightiest because it is the simplest, our Lord urges full surrender and promises a full reward.
 
                                Take my will and make it Thine;
                                        It shall be no longer mine;
                                Take my heart, it is Thine own!
                                        It shall be Thy royal throne.
                                                                __Francis R. Havergal
 
MEDITATION PRAYER:  "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works" (Ps. 9:1).