Friday After Christmas, 12/29/00

Mark 14: 31 But Peter kept saying insistently, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" --NASB

In the name of the One to Whom we give our lives, amen.

The first several days after Christmas are days of celebrating death. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week were the feast days of St. Stephen, St. John, and the Holy Innocents, respectively. All of them gave their lives for Christ. St. Stephen gave his life for Christ both in will and in deed. St. John never had the opportunity to glorify Christ by giving his life for Him in deed, but He certainly gave his life for Christ in will-living everyday for the glory of Christ. The Holy Innocents are the children who lost their lives when King Herod put to death all the boys who were two years old and under, in an attempt to kill Christ Jesus. They didn't have any choice in the matter. Their martyrdom was not a matter of their will, but it was a martyrdom of deed.

How about you? You are a sanctified child of God. You carry the name of Christ. Will you give your life for Christ even as you live? Will you suffer ridicule, seek the eternal good of others over your own prosperity, go before bosses, teachers, judges, and rulers for your savior? Or will you cower in a corner and say, "Oh, I can't do that, I can't force my views on others." You're right, you can't force someone else to believe, but this is more than a viewpoint; it is your life!

It is not easy to give your life for Christ, but it is the essence of what it means to be a Christian. In considering today's devotion you probably are having one of two reactions: either you are trying to fight genuine fear at the thought of giving a clear witness in everything you do, or you are confidently thinking, "I have given my life to Christ; I am willing even to die for Him!" Don't be so quick. Remember what happened to St. Peter shortly after he uttered the words of our passage. He denied his Savior three times. It is not an easy thing to give your life for Christ. On the other hand, St. Peter was indeed willing. He desired to give His life for Christ. You too, dear brothers and sisters, desire to give your life for Christ. You already have the first step: faith which was given to you by our heavenly Father. Now you must pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen that faith so that Christ may use you to witness both before kings, and before peasants. Amen.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, You gave everything for me so that I could be Yours. Take my life, I give it to You willingly, if not eagerly, to use in anyway that You wish. I only ask, Lord, that the Holy Spirit dwell in me so strongly that my faith will not falter no matter what you ask me to do. Patiently test my faith to make it strong so that I may be Your martyr, living and dying to Your glory, amen.

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