And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Acts 20:22 – 24

Paul was resolutely focused on his calling to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. The Holy Spirit had told Paul to go to Jerusalem, despite the great hardships he knew awaited him there. He would ultimately be arrested and sent to a prison in Rome.

Yet look at Paul’s response to this situation – “I consider my life worth nothing to me”. He willingly set aside his personal desires to follow the desire of his Lord, to follow God’s call “of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace”.

What about you and I? How do we “consider our lives” – our desires for success, happiness, wealth, “security”, etc.? Paul gave all of these up, not begrudgingly, but willingly, joyfully. Do we sincerely want our life to count for something in God’s kingdom? Then we must be willing to lay down everything, to count our lives worth nothing, and pursue the one thing that God has called us to do.

We have great worth in God’s eyes, but we must have no worth in our own, except for fulfilling His call.

“ I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” ~ Jesus ( John 12:24-26)