There are good & bad reasons to follow Jesus…just like there are good & bad reasons to get married. Marriage is, in fact, a very good analogy for what walking with God is supposed to be about…that’s why it’s used throughout the Bible to describe our relationship with Him. Strong marriages are marked by the mutual respect of two people who are absolutely committed to sacrificing themselves on behalf of the other. The more we give to our spouses, and benefit from their service to us in return, the more happy & fulfilled & secure we are in the marriage. But when we seek happiness & fulfillment & security as ends-unto-themselves….as the goals…then we inexorably start stepping over the sacrifice that’s required to get it, and we start using our spouse for our own benefit. And it doesn’t work. This is why over 50% of marriages fail in America today…because people’s focus is on themselves, and they are asking the wrong question.
Our relationship with Jesus is like this too. It was never supposed to make us happy. The invitation of Jesus is to “marry” yourself to Him…to give up everything about the solo-you in order to be completely devoted to Him….but through this self-sacrifice, this death-to-self, you will find LIFE that overcomes the temporary circumstance-based happiness that lures your soul in this life. In this way of living in Him and for Him, much happiness is found….but only as a by-product. I’m meditating on these scriptures this morning:
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.” (Philippians 1:21-22)
“Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (Colossians 1:24)
“And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)
