Today's Daily Bread
Make It Count
Our Daily Bread
In his battle with cancer, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc.,
said: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool
I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because
almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of
embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of
death, leaving only what is truly important.” His suffering influenced
the choices he made.
In contrast, the apostle Peter wanted to motivate his readers to use
their suffering to make their lives count for eternity. And he wanted
Jesus’ suffering and death to inspire them to accept the spiritual
conflict and persecution that would result from bearing the name of
Jesus. Because they loved Jesus, suffering was going to be normative.
Jesus’ suffering was to serve as motivation to give up sinful passions
and to be obedient to the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-2). If their lives
were going to count for eternity, they needed to stop indulging in
fleeting pleasures and instead exhaust their lives on what pleased God.
Remembering that Jesus suffered and died to forgive our sins is the
most important thought we have to inspire us to make godly choices today
and to make our lives count for eternity.
Jesus, You have suffered and died to forgive our sin;
may Your death and resurrection inspire us to never
return to where we’ve been. Help us in our resolve
to live for Your will alone.
may Your death and resurrection inspire us to never
return to where we’ve been. Help us in our resolve
to live for Your will alone.
Jesus’ death forgave my past sins
and inspires my present obedience.
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