Echoes of reflection

John 12:25-26

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it into life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am there shall my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my father honor. 

How much are you giving up in this life? God doesn't just want us to give up the big things. He says whoever is faithful in that which is least is also faithful in much. So do not just look at the big things as chances to be faithful, simply give up a little time in you day to look to him and see his glory and to be reminded of his love? Give a little bit of your time to help others and lead them to where you are and show them how to get farther. Do you love God so much that you will completely disregard your own life in service to him? John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. How much more so should we lay down our life for our lord! Are you so focused on hearing God and his voice, that things of this life will not distract you from our true calling, to serve God?  In this day and age there are to many distractions, we get pulled in by the lights and the big show and we lose the big picture, we lose our focus. Then Christ, the one who saved us from death, gets drowned out by the noise of this life. As Solomon said its all vapor everything will pass away, but Christ is eternal, God is eternal. Is our focus on the vapor, the wind, blowing in our ears, or are we focusing on Christ, the still, small, voice. Are there places in your life where you can trim for the sake of the kingdom? Is your focus on Christ always? There are always those little places in our live that we ahve not given over to God. Sometimes we see them sometimes we remain blind to them. But if we are aware of something in our life, perhaps a sin or a distraction, then we NEED to seek it out and give it up to our God. 

John 12:35-36

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

We only have a short time on this earth, a little while to be the children of light. And while death no longer equals darkness, will you leave this world better than when you came into it. My mom when we go to restaurants has this rule where we are to leave things better than when we found it. I think this applies to life as well. Will we let God use us to make this world better? Will we put aside our fears, and our distractions to let God use us in a way that will change this world? Will we live in a way that glorifies God's name? The light was with the disciples just a little while, then for three days the world had no light as the light of the world wrestled with darkness, and the light won. Are we reflecting that light, the light of Christ? 

Here the echoes of our calling to reflect him forever and ever. 

Matthew 5:15

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.