You can’t have it all. You are not there to do yourself a favor. You may not have it your way. You opted out of all that when you made up your mind to follow a Master who himself had relinquished all rights, all equality with the Father, and his own will as well. You are called not to be served but to serve, and you can’t serve two masters. You can’t operate in two opposing kingdoms. These kingdoms are the alternatives. Settle it once for all. It is, quite simply, a life and-death choice.
E. Elliot, On Asking God Why
Matthew 16:24: Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
8 Comments
April 13, 2008 at 8:31 pm
UGH! You HAD to remind me of THAT??? Geeeeee… thanks! LOL!
April 14, 2008 at 7:54 am
Excellent post. One that I need to remind myself of daily.
April 14, 2008 at 8:49 am
Oh yes!! This has been on my mind lately. Amen.
April 14, 2008 at 3:52 pm
We listened to a sermon by John MacArthur that goes along nicely with this. We are actually slaves to Jesus Christ. Our modern translations don’t translate the Greek word for slave as slave because it’s too distasteful…instead it’s translated as servant.
A slave was bought with a price.
A slave relinquised all his rights.
A slave was to be available to serve his master.
A slave was to be obedient in all things to his master.
A slave’s physical needs were met by his master.
A slave had to have faith that his master would meet his needs.
A slave was totally dependent upon his master.
Think about how that parallel’s being a slave of Jesus Christ.
April 14, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Oh, but the benefits both here and in heaven FAR outweigh any worldly ’sacrifices’!
Have a peaceful day!
Brenda
April 15, 2008 at 2:13 pm
You write such good post!! and you do good devo’s !!! Love and hugs Grams
April 17, 2008 at 1:17 pm
True, Brenda — if we spent more time focusing on the benefits of serving the Lord rather than the pains of self-denial, how that would change our outlook!!
Thanks, Grams! This post, though, was a quote from Elisabeth Elliot. I don’t want to take credit for her work.
June 5, 2008 at 8:01 am
[...] This quote is a good reminder: You can’t have it all. You are not there to do yourself a favor. You may not have it your way. You opted out of all that when you made up your mind to follow a Master who himself had relinquished all rights, all equality with the Father, and his own will as well. You are called not to be served but to serve, and you can’t serve two masters. You can’t operate in two opposing kingdoms. These kingdoms are the alternatives. Settle it once for all. It is, quite simply, a life and-death choice. – E. Elliot, On Asking God Why [...]