Sacrificing Because Christ Sacrificed Himself.

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Depending on when you get up, either something great will be happening this morning or it has already happened. If you have kids in school, chances are, you were up before. If you are a college student and do not have classes til this afternoon, then you may have missed it. What is it I am talking about?

See You at the Pole.

This event has been happening on the fourth Wednesday of September since 1990. It started with just 10 students meeting at their school to pray and has grown to be nationally recognized. 

It is a time for students to gather at their school flag pole and pray for family, friends, teachers, classmates, or anything else. Honestly, it is quite amazing that so many students get involved all around the country. Last year was my first in this town and I got to witness the gathering. There were 50+ students gathered at the flagpole, praying for others!

As I write this, the event has not yet happened but I am excited to witness it once again. It challenges me to change my habits. If students can get up a little earlier (and believe me they do. I have heard "but I don't get up til 7:30!" so many times this week) to pray for one another and make this stand at their school, what is it I can change?

Is there an area of my life where I need to be making a sacrifice to further the Kingdom? Am I missing opportunities to take a stand for my faith on a weekly, or even daily basis? 

If young people can make this sacrifice once a year, what should I be doing? As a Youth Minister, husband, father, friend, son, brother, cousin, employee, and citizen (and so much more) there are constantly people around who I could be leading closer to Jesus. What do I need to be doing differently? What do I need to sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom?

Jesus did not consider it too burdensome to make the sacrifice He made on the cross. He did it out of love. The prophets and Apostles did not wallow in self-pity because of the sacrifices they needed to make for the Kingdom. What sacrifices can I have the pleasure of making for Christ out of love for Him?

I know much of this post was just questions, but they are questions I am wrestling with. Hopefully they will help you find an area in your life where God is tugging you. Because, I think we all have room to be stretched. I mean if high school students can do it once a year, I think its not too much to find how we can do that, and maybe more.