Peace Treaty with Death

Jesus said to [Martha], "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
~ John 11:25-26 (NKJV)

Christians hear early on and often that Jesus gives us eternal life. To believe in Jesus—to put faith in Him and His Word—is to have assurance that even if the body dies, the born-again soul is filled with spiritual life and "shall never die." That greatest enemy, Death, is compelled to make a peace treaty with us and relinquish its power over us.

In making peace with Death, we discover that there is also a peace treaty to be made with each smaller, daily death:

Then [Jesus] said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."
~ Luke 9:23-24 (NKJV)

To follow Jesus means we really must die daily. And then, each and every time we die to Self and lay down all our selfish, self-centered, self-gratifying, self-exalting desires, more spiritual life is to be had.

Whatever matter lies before us at this moment, with which we struggle to die to Self-will, we can rely on the same promise Jesus makes of resurrection and life to be found through death. You and I are assured that in every loss of this world, we find new and better life from His world.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of surrender. Please help us! Give us eyes to see where You ask us to die, hearts of faith to believe that You promise new life, and souls of courage to slay desires of this world. By the power of Your Spirit, help us overcome our human weakness.

Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.