Kosmos

How I struggle daily to renounce the things of this world.
How reluctant I am to pick up my cross and follow him.
His heart must break.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him... And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

1 John 2:15, 17

Moving Backwards

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

-Matthew 18: 2-4

Father, make us like little children.

Pain

We must not let pain give way to cynicism, but let it deepen our love for those in suffering.

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another. By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another."
John 13:34-35

May we partake in the suffering of our oppressed brothers and sisters.

Success

"Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason - a life of knowing Him who calls us to go. Faith is rooted in the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest traps we fall into is the belief that if we have faith, God will surely lead us to success in the world."

-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
Matthew 5:3-5

Humility

Lord, let me be filled with your power. Yet more importantly, make me humble.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death of the cross."
-Philippians 2:5-8

The Likeness Of Men

If we have learned anything from Jesus, it is that Love is not necessarily what you give, but what you give up. It is not sacrifice out of abundance, but the sacrifice of abundance itself.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, [and] coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the point of] death, even the death of the cross."
-Philippians 2:5-8

Coming In First

His word is a fire, his tongue is a sword. It pierces my heart and sets fire to my soul. 


"So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."
-Matthew 20:16


Do we really believe this?...