Today´s reading:
OT: Genesis 24:52-66, Genesis 25, Genesis 26:1-16
NT: Matthew 8:18-34
Ps: Psalm 10:1-15
Pr: Proverbs 3:7-8
Today´s notable verse:
[Jesus] replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Matthew 8:26 (NIV)
The One Year Bible Blog notes:
The question is this – Are you willing to die for your faith? (again… I said this is heavy….) This would be the ultimate cost in this life for any of us. Our life. And it may well be that this cost will never be asked of you. But – for many in our world today, they are indeed paying this cost of their lives for their faith in Jesus. There have been martyrs throughout the centuries, and there still countless martyrs are in our world today. Certainly, as we proceed through this gospel of Matthew we will see that Jesus is willing to die for his faith. So, again, it’s a tough question – but are you willing to die for your faith?
To a Christian, death holds no fear. The manner of death, perhaps – but not death itself. What happens when we die? We meet our Savior face-to-face, and enter into our eternal reward. I am reminded of The Return of the King, when Aragorn says, “I do not fear death!” and when Gandalf muses, “End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path… One that we all must take.” I think the more difficult question is this: am I willing to lay down my life each day for Christ? Am I willing to sacrifice my self-interest, my confort, and my desires in order to serve Christ? I honestly believe that this choice is much more difficult that the one of literal life or death. Will I allow myself to be hurt in order that my brother or sister may be strengthened? Will I allow myself to be dishonored that Christ may be honored? These questions we face every day – and every day we fail, in one way or another, be it minor or spectacular. Thank God for His grace to carry us through!