Deny Yourself

A couple of months ago I was startled when the dental hygienist said to me, “Whoa, that’s high!  I’m not sure we are going to clean your teeth today.”  She had just taken my blood pressure.  As best I remember, this was the first time I had ever had blood pressure taken at the dentist, and I certainly didn’t realize they might postpone a cleaning if it was too high.  The fact is, I had never had high blood pressure in my life.

            Fortunately, they were able to do my cleaning and examination that day, but I was left to consider why the numbers were so high. Over the next week or so I checked my numbers daily. They were not as high as that day at the dentist, but the numbers were still running higher than normal, so I realized that something had to be done.

            Since the first week of November, I have been taking a couple of supplements that claim to help with this issue.  I have reduced my intake of diet sodas from more than I am willing to admit, to just one each day.  I am drinking more water. And I have been much more careful with what I eat, especially when it comes to sweets and caffeine.

The morning I am writing this my pressure read 128/82.  Now that was encouraging.  I just hated the thought that I would deny myself things that I enjoy (cake and pie come to mind), to no avail. 

            Jesus said to us, “If anyone wants to follow me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.”  He also said that the way to gain life is to lose it for His sake.  What seems strange to some is the truth. We gain the most when we give ourselves, first to the Lord, and then to others. 

            I pray that you will learn the secret of giving and losing for the sake of receiving and winning. God has promised to bless when we give of ourselves. He can be trusted. He will keep His word.