"Self"

I have a giant problem,

That I can’t really solve,

It’s not that I’m important,

The world will still revolve.

If I’m unsuccessful,

To find a way it’s true,

It’s going to take some effort,

To do what I must do.

And that’t simply to dethrone,

My infernal, nasty me,

Lay aside my ego,

And more unselfish be.

But bottom line I’m helpless,

To really get it done,

The fact that I’ll admit it,

Is better than to run.

From truth’s sad confrontation,

The selfish poison drips,

And I just need to come home,

From all these ego trips.

I read I died with Jesus,

I want it to be true,

I’ve heard that He will help us,

With changes we must do.

So, Lord, if You are listening,

Here’s old selfish me,

And I need lots of help, Lord,

To change and be set free.

I choose the self denial,

And to take up my cross,

I want to let You lead, Lord,

And find Your gain through loss.

And now I feel much better,

At least I’m on the way,

To know the Spirit’s power,

And learn to die each day.

“I am crucified with Christ…” (Gal. 2:20, NLT)

Bonhoeffer said that when Christ calls a man, He calls him to come and die. True, but what does this really mean? Dying ain’t much of a living, boy, were the words of Josey Wales to the bounty hunter who came to kill him. Jesus taught that we die to live, and it’s the only way. He meant that we die to our selfishness and relinquish control to Him. We surrender all our “rights,” real or perceived, and choose to die to our egotism. And this is not a once-and-for-all decision. It must be renewed on a daily basis. That’s what it means to take up your cross daily. It’s why Paul would later say that he died daily. There is the decision to surrender which begins the journey. There is then the daily working out and renewal of the life we have chosen. If we lose, we win. If we die, we live. Amen.

Lord, help us die to self, in Jesus’ name

Art by Ann Hanson, annhanson.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Ann, and God bless you.