“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” – Luke 9:24
The life you live in the flesh will end one day. Either death will find you or Christ will return. Either way, what you’ve known since birth will end and what comes next will be dramatically different. That’s what Jesus warns us of in this verse. Whatever measures we take on our own to extend, preserve, or cling to this mortal life will ultimately fail us. We we’ll eventually die. If we hold back from committing our life to serve and follow Christ, we’ll eventually die. If we hold back from really living out of fear, we’ll eventually die. Death is inevitable unless Christ returns first.
However, when we yield our life to Jesus, trusting Him as Lord and following Him no matter the risk, cost, sacrifice, or suffering then we gain eternal life. Though death will find us, it’s no longer an enemy nor is it to be feared. For the follower of Jesus, death is simply the gateway to an eternity (that’s WAY longer than 70-100 years) spent with Christ. In that life, there will be no suffering, sorrow, sickness, or death.
More than that, when we devote our life to Christ, living for Him during this brief mortal life, then we truly live. By yielding our life to Jesus, our life takes on tremendous Kingdom purpose, significance, meaning, and joy. We live in union with Jesus Christ! By yielding our life to Jesus, we live a life of love for God and neighbor while walking the road toward death. In Christ, we live by faith in the Son of God Who loves us and gave Himself for us. If you haven’t already, save your life by losing it to Christ!