“Then Peter spoke up, ‘We have left everything to follow you!’ ‘Truly I tell you’, Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the Gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age; homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields – along with persecutions – and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:28-31)
“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
Sacrifice also comes as a result of priorities. We saw yesterday that Jesus had a single-minded purpose for coming and that all other things were secondary to that. He was going to Jerusalem to the cross that we might be redeemed. When faced with decisions or distractions Jesus had a central priority that guided all that He did. It didn’t mean that other things were “bad” or “sinful”, it simply meant that they were always brought into the light of going to the cross.
For us, Jesus says that we should keep our relationship to God as our central priority. This should be the center of everything that we do. It should be the center of our family, work, school, and all other things that are a part of our daily lives. Being in right relationship to God effects all aspects of our lives and, therefore, should be a concern in every other relationship. This will sometimes bring sacrifice.
Jesus was not saying that we should leave our parents and family or give up our children and possessions. But, what He is saying to us is that we make Him and His Kingdom central to all of it. This sometimes requires us to sacrifice something that is good for God’s best. To say “no” to what seems more desirable and “yes” to what honors God.
In both passages above there is something else…Jesus promises that God will take care of the results and meet your needs. Sometimes sacrifice is hard because we don’t know what will happen but Jesus says He will take care of that and it will end up better than what you expected!
So, today, as you reflect on all that Jesus gave up for you, think about making Him the central priority of your life. Whatever is the driving factor for you…give it over to Him…a sacrifice…and place Him on the throne of your life. Don’t worry, He will take care of the rest.