Don´t Fear Those Who Can Kill You!

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Matthew 10:28 (KJV)

Jesus was instructing His people on what we should be like in the world, what we should do, how we should think, and the way the world would be towards us.  He was trying to prepare us, train us, and guard us against the forces that would try to deter us.

During His lifetime here amongst us and throughout His ministry Jesus was set firmly on one thing.  His every thought, action and word was directed to it.  He worked hard and sacrificed all the normal pleasures and distractions the world has to offer without giving thought to them.  So intent was He towards this One goal of His that He lived and died as if nothing else existed for Him.  All that He touched and loved was done as if by reflection from His dedication to it.  And what is this one THING?

His Father in heaven

Jesus said and did exactly everything because it was the will of His Father.  He was expressing to all of us the things He saw within the great heart of God.  With this single-minded and super-human effort He found wisdom and power to accomplish the incredible feat of redeeming a lost world.  All pardon was paid and a path cut to bring mankind from all ages back into the presence of God.

Not only did He accomplish much by it but also holds it out to us to instruct and help us each personally.  He is our invitation, our example, our helper and our guide.  He will also be our reward for those who take Him seriously enough to open their ears and listen.

So when Jesus warns us of the trials we must face or the opposition that will stand in the way of true faith, He points again to His single intention.  He would honor God above ANYTHING and EVERYTHING else.  As is always the case He encourages us to do the same.  He would have you and I arm ourselves with this same trait.

Put God before yourself.  Put God before your fears.  Put God before your desires and ambitions.  Look at God before you look at your surroundings, before your loved ones.  Consider Him instead of giving thought to your enemies or the things that threaten you.

If you study the life of Christ, or any other characters whose stories are described in the Bible, you can easily see the power it had for them to change all kinds of situations around them.

For the person who makes God this big, reality becomes something else.  It becomes what God wants and not merely what you can see with your eyes or touch with your hands.

We cannot understand yet all that is going on in an eternal and universal scale, but beginning to look up starts our learning process.

Therefore, let you and I soften our hearts of steel today.  Let us admit that we have tried to make too much of ourselves, our lives, and our surroundings.  Let us attempt to hear our Saviors words and follow His great example.  Let us imitate Him in making God everything for us that He intended for us.  Let us make Him none other than our ALL.

There will still be much against us in this world, in our fallen nature and the powers of evil.  But with our hearts and souls filled only with Him and our attention on nothing but Him, God Himself steps in and there is no power in the entire universe that could stand against Him.

Dear Lord, please help us to see what you so tenderly and so devotedly tried to show us.  Take us by the hand and lead us in Your own footsteps.  Give us we pray, this same single-minded heart that seeks to do the will of our Father in heaven and bring honor to His name.  May we find grace in You to enable where we fall short.  We know that we must leave behind the heart we had for ourselves and our surroundings.  In Your name we pray,

Amen

Scott W