I am ready to die

When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." – Acts 21.11-13

  

The disciples were gathered together at Philip's house in Caesarea when a prophet named Agabus came to them. He took Paul's belt and bound his own hands and feet. He used that to prophecy what was going to happen to Paul. 'The Jews are going to take the man who owns this belt, bind him, and deliver him to the Gentiles.

Of course the other disciples were heart broken. They begged Paul not to go. They couldn't stand the thought of Paul going to Jerusalem to go to jail.

The mutual love and compassion is moving. 'Your crying is breaking my heart!'

'I am ready not only to be arrested, but I am ready to die for the name of Jesus.'

Paul was not alone in His willingness to die for the name of Jesus. Vast numbers of believers through the history of the church have been willing to die for Him. Vast numbers have died in many brutal ways.

Paul had been there was Stephen was martyred and even taken part in it. He knew others who had died. Now he proclaimed that he was willing to do the same.

I often wonder what I would do if I were really called on to die for the name of Jesus. I hope that if push comes to shove would follow the pattern set by Paul and so many others.

But what does my life say today? What do all of our lives say today? Do your and my lives indicate at all that we are willing to sacrifice what it takes to live totally for Jesus? If not, how can we claim that we would sacrifice what it takes to die for Him?