First, Love Jesus

“If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.”

Matthew 10:39 (CEV)

I’ll give my life to Jesus . . . after I do all the things I want.

I’ll get the stuff I like first . . . and then I’ll help others.

I’ll go to church . . . after I play with my friends.

Many people think this way. They believe being a Christ-follower means no fun, no nice things, no easy life. And truthfully, it is not easy to be a Christian. Jesus said we must be willing to give up our life—to love him more than anything and to follow him. But there’s great reward in following Jesus—salvation and eternal life!

Jesus had given up his life in Heaven with all the glory, power, and beauty. He bravely came to Earth to serve us. He knew what it meant to give up everything to obey God. And as he sent out his disciples to preach about him, with no money, destination, or promise of success, he asked them to be willing to give up everything and obey him.

When Jesus did the ultimate loving thing of dying a painful death to pay for our sins, God brought him back to life and saved us through him.

And he wants us to trust him with our lives, too. The path might not look like what we want. But the reward is better than anything we could imagine.

SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING

Highlight or write down the words from today’s Scripture verse that stand out to you as you think about Jesus’s great love for you.

PRAY

Jesus, thank you for living on Earth and dying for me. Help me give my life to you.

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help you expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Please read...

Isaiah 53:5

Isaiah 53:12

Romans 6:13

1 John 3:16