Because He First Loved…Living By God’s Example

God asks us to do many difficult things:

• Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us
• Take up our cross
• Leave your father and mother for his sake
• Humble ourselves

In each of those things and in many others we see how God, through Christ, did those things first and asks us to follow. He didn’t just throw out a bunch of “good ideas” and hypotheticals. He doesn’t call us to action while he sits idly by. We often think of the call of Christ being to “go” but what is stated more often in the New Testament is the call to follow. When you are following Christ evangelism wont’ be an issue. He will take you to those you need to reach out to but you have to follow.

He doesn’t send where he is not willing to go. He was willing to do it himself and blaze a trail for us to follow on. Being a disciple of Christ requires some difficult things but we always remember that the trail of discipleship has already been blazed. We just follow Him.

Thank you God for first doing what you ask us to do. Help us to take the call of discipleship seriously and live by the example you have set. Thank you for making your dwelling among us. Thank you for walking ahead of us. Give us the strength to follow in the paths you have already trod. Help us to love others as you have first loved us. Help us to pray for our enemies as you prayed for those who crucified you. Help us to take up our cross remembering that it is not the first time in history that has been done. Help us to put you first above all others as Christ put your will for his life first.. Humble us as Christ the king was willing to take on the roll of the servant. Lead us and help us to follow.