Isaiah 55:8-9
God's Thoughts are Not our Thoughts
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Matthew 6:28-34
Seek God's Kingdom First
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 10:37-42
Losing Your Life
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
When Jesus said we must lose our lives, what an odd things to say...From an earthly perspective, He said a lot of odd things...When we live on earth we tend to think in earthly ways...Jesus thinks differently...He thinks in terms of Absolute Truth and Eternal Truth...His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways...Jesus teaches us the eternities...When He teaches to first seek the Kingdom of God, He is telling us the first thing we should seek in this life is to think about and live for the eternal and the Kingdom of God...When Jesus says that whoever finds their life on earth will lose, and whoever loses their life for His sake, they will find life, an abundant and full life...His teachings are eternal and often opposite of how we think on earth...So we somehow must learn to think differently...Losing one's life and finding Him is the full and good life...It is about living for heaven and for the Glory of God and His Son...
As we think about our earthly thoughts, the Scripture sounds maybe difficult and awkward...Why would we want to lose our life?...But if we think in terms of the eternal, we can see the harmony of heaven and how it fits in the eternal- The Big Story of God's Plan...It is written that anyone who loves their father or mother on earth more than Jesus is not worthy of Him, anyone who loves their son or daughter more than Jesus is not worthy of Him...Whoever does not take up their cross and follow Him is not worthy of Him...Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it...We are talking about a life in Jesus...Not only believing in Him, but actually following Him on a daily basis and doing what He would do...Now this is not easy, and is a process...Jesus is in charge of the full and abundant life...Jesus is in charge of the eternal life...So we must pick up His cross, His ways and follow Him...The ways of heaven are higher than the ways of earth...