Idol of Life

Read Matthew 10 for Bible reading where Jesus sent out his 12 disciples to preach the message that the Kingdom is near and heal people. These couple of verses struck me and reminded me...

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matt 10:37-38

Also in Matthew 19 (I was reminded by J):

I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heave... it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Matt 19:23-24

I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first. Matt 19:28-30

Do I love God more than anyone else in my life - my husband, my family, my friends? Do I love money, life, power, control, success, more than I love God? Reading this makes me think of some people/areas that I *may* love more than I love God... (which reminds me of last week's sermon and CG where we prayed of each other that God will reveal the areas of our lives that we sin against Him and for us to hate it, identify it and deal with it) The gauge of loving God more or [something/someone else] can be easily tested by how much we value, how we prioritise our resources like time and money.

I thank God for answering prayers and revealing to me that I have made an idol of myself or an idol of someone/something else... areas which I fail to glorify God where I take all credit to myself. Even a simple comment like "Wow, that [name of food] you made was really yum!", "Thanks for singing. I was very ministered by your singing". That naturally makes me feel good. I mean who does not like being praised (expectedly or unexpected)? BUT do I glorify God for giving me the ability to reproduce that food and do it well to serve others the food? Do I give God the glory for enabling me to sing well that it aids people's reflection of what Jesus has done for me? Isn't the purpose of my life seeking to glorify God only? I really have nothing to boast, except for Jesus Christ my Saviour.

I pray that I may wake up everyday asking myself this question: "What does it mean to deny myself and take up the Cross today?". This means making radical decisions in areas like: stay away temptation of eating food that is unhealthy to my body, exercising even when I feel tired or lazy, making wise decisions on spending the finances that God has given us, doing acts of love or acts of service when I don't feel like being nice or thinking 'you don't deserve that', loving people unconditionally, serving joyfully and faithfully behind-the-scene and not expecting men's recognition by God's approval, giving my time to people (includes praying for them when I said that I will), loving husband, family, friends when they are difficult to love, etc... May God's grace allow me to do that daily...