Aug 23

Jesus told Peter not to be afraid. He did not tell Pilate not to be afraid. Pilate would not follow Jesus, not turn over his authority over others and, more important than that, would not turn over authority of his own soul, to Jesus. Rather, Pilate turned Jesus over to the crowd to be killed. That is always the consequence of refusing to turn authority of one's soul to the One who made it. If we do not die to self by turning that self over to Jesus, we will turn Jesus over to the world, to kill Jesus.

For his refusal to give to the true King that which belonged to him, Pilate's soul, Pilate indeed had much to fear. For a person's soul is only his to do with until the day of death, then that power is taken away from him by a greater power.

If a person cherishes his own soul so much that he refuses to give it up to the One who created it and to whom it really belongs -- Jesus -- then he will lose it in the end, on the day of death.

"God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'" (Luke 12:20).

Who indeed?

Scripture for today: Matthew 21:33-46
Thought for today: Death is the end of my authority over my soul.
Prayer for today: Thank you, Jesus, for taking authority over my soul, to save it from eternal death.

AUG 23