Lose oneself to embrace a life that is greater than what's known

The best way to find your life is to lose it. That will not be the counsel received during daytime self-help programming.

For generations our culture has embraced and propagated the mantra that, to have the best life possible, we must explore every option, maximize every emotion and continually elevate our status above everyone else no matter the costs. Greed is good and better is best.

No one will argue -- particularly I -- that complacency is better than discontent. Nor deny the importance of self-discovery and self-care. Jesus says the elevation of self only results in the loss of all. If you truly want to find your life, you must lose your life. He calls all who have ears to hear to lose themselves to embrace a life that is greater than anything ever known.

In the gospels of Matthew and Luke, you will find what are titled The Lord's Prayer. The prayer, from its weaving into film, television and literature, is most recognizable. It is certainly not the only prayer in the Bible, and not the only prayer of Jesus recorded. The Lord's Prayer is a model that not only reveals how to pray but also unveils the heart of God to simultaneously pull and push all who hear to a greater agenda, a Kingdom agenda.

The second phrase in the model prayer says, "Your Kingdom come." Jesus elevated the priority of the Kingdom above any request for a need to be met or hurt to be healed.

Our tendency when we pray is to drive to our needs and our wants. Job. Money. Healing. All of which are good things to pray for, but not Jesus' primary agenda. Jesus first drives us to Him and His agenda. We are pulled from status and pressed to service. He pulls us from getting lost in ourselves and pushes us toward the greater calling of attending His kingdom. Pushed to be agents of healing to the hurting. Of rescuing and defending those who suffer abuse and neglect. Risking all of what seems most valuable to find a life richer than every thought possible.

God wants more than your best life now. God desires to be at work in you and through you to bring about the best life for eternity. You and I must constantly get lost to find where we were supposed to be all along.