Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it”.
Jesus, the Giver of Live Deny myself? Take up my cross? What is the meaning of this? Is he saying I have to qive up all the things I like, those things which I delight in? All right, this getting complicated… there are just too many things I love doing, too many things I enjoy watching, touching, tasting, try out places and come around people… there are just too many things I cherish doing which make denying myself something really difficult to do. Is this really what the Lord wants to say? Indeed, He does, that is why He talks about “losing my life” because of Him, not necessarily literally, although there were martyrs who loose their life because of Christ, Jesus himself gave his life for me; He expects an absolute abnegation, absolute abnegation to my rights, absolute abnegation to satisfy my wishes and whims, admiting that my life does not belong to me no longer but was bought by blood, therefore my life belongs to Him, and He wants to do his perfect willing in my life. Oh, this whole topic is very good, but it still looks difficult, there is no other way? Well… I remember the story about a rich young man who approached Jesus, he was so full of himself. I dont know if he wanted an advice or just wanted to show off… “Master, I have obeyed the Law since I was a little child”. Jesus was not impressed, because He knew this man lacked something esencial… abnegation… so staring at him with love, He told him: “That´s good, but you are missing one thing…go and sell all your treasures and give them to the poors in order that your treasure remains in Heavens, then take up your cross and follow me.” What a shock for this young rich man! He did not want to give up his treasures, his lifestyle… he pleased to do things on his own, so he gloomily walked away. I wonder if he ever changed his mind, maybe he did not, perhaps his life was a disaster, maybe he even loose his life. But I still find it complicated… Am I ready to “lose my life” because of Him? What is more, I think I am starting to feel as depress as that young rich man… because the Lord is showing me all of those things I have to give up right now… Could I make it? True is that nobody can do it on his own, but Does not the Bible said I no longer live but Christ lives in me? Finally, I see!, It is crystalclear! Christ died in the cross for me, abnegated his very own life just because He loved me so now He lives in me… so I can deny my life for love of Him, I am not alone. I am sure I can carry out because He already did it before.
Then, summing up, is all about living for Him, obeying His voice, enjoying and doing His will… what an ease and peacefulness of mind brings to surrender to Him, and if that was not enough, He promises to grant the wishes of my heart. Now I convinced that abnegated myself and do His will is not difficult when I earnestly love God. Let´s go then! For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 1 Jonh 5:3