The not so sacrificial sacrifice

I (Nikki) had the opportunity to share our story with a 9th grade girl's sunday school class this past Sunday. It was fun to sit in with these young ladies (most all of whom I have had the privilege of watching grow up over the past three years) and recall once again the many ways God has changed my life over the past two years. The lesson was focused on John 12:23-26 which says:

"Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. "

The teacher asked me to share specifically about the surrender and sacrifice that comes with complete obedience to Christ. In addition, she pointed out to the girls that although following Christ requires complete surrender and sacrifice, in return we are promised a sweet blessing, an eternal blessing.

Something struck me as she was explaining this. Throughout this whole process I have realized that what we are doing doesn't really "make sense." I mean to us it makes complete sense, we know fully what God has asked of us, we have felt fully his Spirit guiding and preparing us for this task, but to the rest of the world, what we are doing probably sounds a little extreme or, at the very least, risky. But this is what makes me fall even more in love with my Savior, that he would call us to do something completely out of this world, and then in turn, pour out his blessing abundantly and profusely. I love that he has dared us (can I say that?) to trust him, dared us to step out for him, dared us to lose ourselves to him, and then has promised to carry us and ultimately bless us beyond what we could have imagined.

That is the God we serve. The God that promised old Abraham that he would make him the father of many nations (and did!), the God that stepped out of heaven and chose a man like Paul to carry forth his gospel, the God that demonstrates his own love for us by sending his son to die for sinners, not the righteous, but sinners!

So it is because of all this that my sacrifice doesn't really feel like a sacrifice at all. I look at what we are doing and letting go of and I know it is really of no value. It's just stuff. And just as I have stuff here, I am sure I will somehow manage to accumulate stuff in the D.R. And one day when I die my stuff will sit, and I am sure my children will love finding a place for it all. But what Christ has offered is of much greater value. He has offered to bless us and to honor us. Think about that. The God of the universe wants to honor you.

So my challenge to you today is this, are you willing to lose your life? Are you willing to let go if he asks, are you willing to make the sacrifice, knowing full well the best is yet to come? I pray that you are and I pray that I am.