Daily Radio Bible - April 28th, 22

AVOID THE TRAP

Our readings today are II Sam 4 -5, Psalm 139, and Matthew 16.  We are reading through the New Living Translation.

A dangerous trap, that’s what Jesus calls it.  To see things only from your own point of view and your own perspective, is a dangerous trap.  Jesus rebukes Peter and says,

Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s. (Matt 16:23)

It’s a dangerous trap to see things from your point of view and not Gods’.  It’s dangerous to hold on to your life and agenda,  apart from God.  Jesus says,

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. (Matt 16:25)

If you demand to hold onto our own way, to make this life a project all about you, your ego, your comfort, your ambition, position, reputation,  or pleasure, then you’ve fallen into a trap, and you will ultimately lose your life. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? (Matt 16:26) 

But Jesus gives us a way out.  He tells us how to free ourselves of the trap.  He says we must live in light of the Cross.   The way to be free, from a dangerous trap, is through the most dangerous symbol imaginable, the cross.  An instrument of death, will bring you your life.  

If you want to be my follower, pick up your own cross and follow.  Lose your life and find it.  Accept the fact that there is no life and wholeness for you apart from Me. Die to yourself, and find my Life.

If we look at our life through the Cross, We will find the Eternal, we will find our true selves, we’ll find Him.   On the Cross, we see what it is to love. To give of oneself, to radically forgive, and to suffer alongside.   When we do that we become fully alive. Don’t fall into  the trap. Don’t live only from your point of view, for your own advantage or ego.  Live from the perspective of the cross. Live the with God life. Pick up your cross and follow Him.

You are loved!