Losing Everything

"He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." This statement was made by Jim Elliot; A man who left his comfortable home and college education in Portland to go be a missionary in Ecuador. His goal was to evangelize the unreached native Indians there and translate the Bible into their language. He was killed in the process. What did he give up? What did he gain? God's economy is so very different than ours.

In God's kingdom: The way up is down. If you want to save your life you must lose it. The more you hold onto (something) the less you have. The more you give away, the more you will possess. You cannot give away what you do not possess or own. Take love, for example... You cannot truly give love, unless you first possess it. Those who have never been shown true love are incapable of giving it away. They cannot give something that they do not possess. By possess, I mean, you must have ownership of it, not just something you are familiar with or using temporarily. It must be a part of who you are. Then that thing which has become a part you, you now own, and are able to give away. The more that you give it away, the more you will receive. The Bible says, "This is love. Not that we first loved Him, but that He first loved us." "Freely you have received, now freely give." It truly is so much better to give than to receive, but we must first receive from Him.

You can borrow many things from other people. You can borrow someone else's revelation or their vision, but you cannot give away something that is not yours. So then how do we own or possess something? We must first go to the source. God is the source. He is the source of life and love and all things. "This is love. Not that we first loved Him, but He first loved us. "

I have lost so much in the last few months, close to everything. I have gained more than I ever knew was even available. I have been connected to the source. He is the source of all life, love, purpose, existence. "In Him we live and move and have our being." As the song says, "Now I have a purpose. Now I have a destiny. You made me for your glory!" What I do does notdetermine who I am. I am who God says I am. I perform for Him, from His love, not for His love. I do because He loves me, not to earn His love. No longer does He call me a servant, He calls me friend. I am a friend of the King who is King over all kings! He likes to let me know what is on His mind and what He is up to. Not only am I His friend, but I am His son. I am a son of the Most High God. This means that I am a co-heir with the One who possesses everything. Not only am I His son, I am the bride of Christ. He is a Husband who loves, fights for, and protects His bride. He calls me Friend, Son, Bride, Lover. We are one. This is who I am. This is what I have gained. How can I be anything but grateful?

Jesus said, "...unless a seed falls to the ground and dies it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

Lose you life and you will find it, you will save it. Let go. Stop striving. Give up. The more you give, the more you will gain.