Thoughts on Death to Life

Posted by: Jenny Schreiner

Until recently, when I read verses like Luke 14:25-33 asking me for my life, I had these highly romanticized notions of what God was asking of me - skipping college to be a missionary in Thailand, creating health clinics in poor latin american countries, or starting a church in Spain. I often even told God that He could take me early if it meant others would come to know Him. None of these ideas/dreams/desires are bad, they come from a heart to please God. And for many people, God asks these things for their lives. But in my dreaming of living adventurously for God, I missed out on an important possibility: denying yourself, taking up your cross & following Christ may not be an exciting adventure involving learning a tribal language to translate the Bible, it may "only" require daily living a mundane, unexciting life in obedience to God.

Let me explain. At times, with being a stay at home mom, I struggle with the repetitiveness of diaper changes, laundry, dishes, babies crying & lack of being able to do a lot of evening activities. However, the past week God has been kindly reminding me that when I told him he could have my life it included the unglamorous. I still live for the gospel; however, it's played out differently than I imagined it would be. I've been learning its so important to not have conditions for what you're willing to lay down your life. Seems obvious. But its taken me quite a while to actually learn... and I have so much to learn. *sidenote - I love, love, love Owen & Eden. It is a blessing to stay at home. Even though I have times that I cry & have to work through my attitude, I would not change how God has orchestrated our lives.*

Along with this, as we lay down our lives to become disciples, I've been reminded that it begins with our normal, daily lives. This past week I was reading My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers (thanks for mentioning the devotional in your post Julia it has been good for me to read it). Here are his exhortations on being a disciple (from September 11th):

Ministering in everyday opportunities that surround us does not mean that we select our own surroundings— it means being God’s very special choice to be available for use in any of the seemingly random surroundings which He has engineered for us. The very character we exhibit in our present surroundings is an indication of what we will be like in other surroundings.

The things Jesus did were the most menial of everyday tasks, and this is an indication that it takes all of God’s power in me to accomplish even the most common tasks in His way. Can I use a towel as He did? Towels, dishes, sandals, and all the other ordinary things in our lives reveal what we are made of more quickly than anything else. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most menial duty as it ought to be done.

Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (13:15). Notice the kind of people that God brings around you, and you will be humiliated once you realize that this is actually His way of revealing to you the kind of person you have been to Him. Now He says we should exhibit to those around us exactly what He has exhibited to us.

Do you find yourself responding by saying, “Oh, I will do all that once I’m out on the mission field”? Talking in this way is like trying to produce the weapons of war while in the trenches of the battlefield–you will be killed while trying to do it.

We have to go the “second mile” with God. Yet some of us become worn out in the first ten steps. Then we say, “Well, I’ll just wait until I get closer to the next big crisis in my life.” But if we do not steadily minister in everyday opportunities, we will do nothing when the crisis comes.

So for me, my surroundings give the menial tasks of caring for two kids under two. For you, it may look like answering that phone call in corporate america, driving alone for countless hours, working on relationships with roommates, however it looks your life provides many opportunities to deny yourself & respond like Jesus.

Finally, God has been redirecting my attitude towards dying to myself. "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7) In context, this verse is referring to financial giving, but I believe the concept applies to giving of your life. I want to be someone who joyously, not grudgingly, gives my life over to God to do as He chooses. I have been reflecting over the words of a man named David Linvingstone, a missionary in Africa. After having many illnesses, the death of his wife, and a lack of response to the gospel, he remarks that he "never made a sacrifice." I don't think he means his life was without difficulty, he is referring to fact that in light of all God has done for him it is not a big deal to give back his entire life. I am learning to delightfully hand over my life to God & joyously accept his lot for me. Furthermore, in Mark 10:28-30 there is a promise connected with leaving everything to follow Christ - It says we will receive a hundredfold back in the time & the age to come. So not only has God saved us from hell, but he also promises to give back 100x what we give up. Wow. What an amazing God we serve! I pray that we each can come to a spot where with open hands we can say, "This is no sacrifice, here's my life."