Laying Down Your Life

The Virginia Tech shooting, also known as the Virginia Tech Massacre, occurred on April 16, 2007 on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute. During the massacre, there was a certain engineering professor Liviu Librescu that blocked the door to his classroom with his body. As the professor blocked the door to his classroom, it allowed the students to have extra time to escape by jumping out the window to safety. The professor's bravery cost him his life but allowed others to live.

John 15:13 - "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." Look at the word life (psuche') which means the soul of a person. The soul consists mainly of the mind, the will, and emotions. Laying one's will or mind down is what we are looking at. Making up one's will and then acting upon it is what we heard this professor do.

Over 2000 years ago another man laid down his life for the world. That man was Jesus Christ, who gave it all for you and I. God's desire for us is to follow in His steps of daily laying our lives and wills down to fulfill His purpose. Philippians 2:5 says, "Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." Slow down and hear God every day. He's not in a hurry. Psalm 86:13 - "Great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave."

1. Today, how can I lay down my life at home.

2. At church, how can I lay down my life for my friends.

3. From this short devotion, What is something I can use in my life.

Pastor Dave Stallman