Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him.

Peter said - "I will lay down my life for Thy sake" and he meant it; his sense of the heroic was magnificent. It would be a bad thing to be incapable of making such a declaration as Peter made; the sense of our duty is only realized by our sense of the heroic. Has the Lord ever asked you - "Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake?" It is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling. We are not made for brilliant moments, but we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways. There was only one brilliant moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration; then He emptied Himself the second time of His glory, and came down into the demon-possessed valley. For thirty-three years Jesus laid out His life to do the will of His Father, and, John says, "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." It is contrary to human nature to do it.

If I am a friend of Jesus, I have deliberately and carefully to lay down my life for Him. It is difficult, and thank God it is difficult. Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult. God saves a man and endues him with the Holy Spirit, and then says in effect - "Now work it out, be loyal to Me, whilst the nature of things round about you would make you disloyal." "I have called you friends." Stand loyal to your Friend, and remember that His honour is at stake in your bodily life.

When I have sadly misunderstood Him? (John 10:17.) It is possible to know all about doctrine and yet not know Jesus. The soul is in danger when knowledge of doctrine outsteps intimate touch with Jesus. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine was no more to Mary than the grass under her feet. Any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could not ridicule out of her was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her; yet His blessings were nothing in comparison to Himself. Mary "saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus . . ;" immediately she heard the voice, she knew she had a past history with the One who spoke. "Master!"

When I have stubbornly doubted? (John 10:27.) Have I been doubting something about Jesus - an experience to which others testify but which I have not had? The other disciples told Thomas that they had seen Jesus, but Thomas doubted - "Except I shal see . . , I wil not believe." Thomas needed the personal touch of Jesus. When His touches come, or how they come, we do not know; but when they do come they are indescribably precious. "My Lord and my God!"

When I have selfishly denied Him? (John 21:15-17.) Peter had denied Jesus Christ with oaths and curses, and yet after the Resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter alone. He restored him in private, then He restored him before the others. "Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee."

Have I a personal history with Jesus Christ? The one sign of discipleship is intimate connection with Him, a knowledge of Jesus Christ which nothing can shake.

Mary wanted it to be known that this act of hers was done for Him exclusively. Just for Him, without thought of self, or anything else. Martha was serving, but it was not exclusively for Him. It might be in His honor, but it was done for others also. Simon might entertain, but others were included in the entertainment also. What Mary did was for Him alone.

“When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman?” (Matthew 26:10 KJV). Jesus understood!

Jesus said to Peter: “Lovest thou Me?” Peter replied: “Thou knowest that I love Thee.” Jesus said to him: “Feed my sheep for Me. . . . Feed my lambs” (John 21:15–17 KJV).

“Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you” (Exodus 2:9).

Under an Eastern sky Amid a rabble cry A Man went forth to die For me—for me.

Thorn-crowned His blessed Head, Bloodstained His every tread, To Calvary He was led For me—for me.

Pierced were His Hands, His Feet, Three hours o’er Him did beat Fierce rays of noonday heat, For me—for me.

Since Thou wast made all mine, Lord, make me wholly Thine. Grant strength and grace Divine For me—for me.

Thy will to do, Oh, lead In thought and word and deed My heart, e’en though it bleed, To Thee—to Thee.

For me! “For Him! For Him!” the man cries as he planes his boards, sells his goods, adds his figures, or writes his letters. “For Him! For Him!” sings the woman as she plies her needle, makes her bed, cooks her food, or dusts her house.

All day long the hand is outstretched to touch the invisible Christ, and at night the work done is brought to Him for His benediction.