Losing it

Luke 9:22-25

“The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?

Losing it - a term we use in all sorts of ways, from losing our minds to losing our youth, to losing our temper. However we use it, it's rarely in a positive sense.

Here comes Jesus, as usual, turning things around, encouraging us to think differently. To see losing as something positive.

For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.

Why don't we like the feeling of loss? It speaks of lack of control. Whoa - and that's scary. To not be in full command. 

Jesus asks, even demands, that we put ourselves in that scary place - for God's sake!

It's not a surrender.

It's not a passive giving in.

It's a kicking and screaming, brakes on, full on slide into a place where we can stop struggling enough to know ourselves caught - and held - by one who brings life beyond our imagining, beyond our limited vision.

Losing ourselves in the love and grace and life of God.

Losing it - to find life.