Jesus…said to him,
"One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the
poor…and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." —Mark 10:21
{CHAMBERS} “The rich young ruler had the controlling passion to be
perfect. When he saw Jesus Christ, he wanted to be like Him. Our Lord never
places anyone’s personal holiness above everything else when He calls a
disciple. Jesus’ primary consideration is my absolute annihilation of my right
to myself and my identification with Him, which means having a relationship
with Him in which there are no other relationships. Luke 14:26 has
nothing to do with salvation or sanctification, but deals solely with
unconditional identification with Jesus Christ. Very few of us truly know what
is meant by the absolute “go” of unconditional identification with, and
abandonment and surrender to, Jesus.[…] “One thing you lack….” From Jesus
Christ’s perspective, oneness with Him, with nothing between, is the only good
thing. “…sell whatever you have….” I must humble myself until I am merely a
living person. I must essentially renounce possessions of all kinds, not for
salvation (for only one thing saves a person and that is absolute reliance in
faith upon Jesus Christ), but to follow Jesus.”
{ELGIN} Have you made room for God in your heart? If your heart was a house, have you given God
a room in which to abide, albeit a nice room, or have you given him the whole
house. Each of us has at least a room or
two that we have reserved for ourselves.
Like the little girl that put a “no
boys allowed” sign on her bedroom door.
We put a “God not allowed” on some doors. Rooms that hold things that we love and do
not want to give up. Perhaps the right
to do what we think is right. Or perhaps
some behaviors that are clearly contrary to our new nature, but to which we are
emotionally dependent upon and find comfort in. Emotionally and relationally unhealthy
things. Things that usurp the sovereignty
of God, that occupy places that belong to God.
Like the rich young ruler who loved his wealth and possessions, there
are things in our lives that prevent us from experiencing the joy, peace and
assurance that comes from total surrender to God.
We were talking to a family
member last night. They are struggling
with an issue, one that finds its genesis in poor choices they made for which
they are under the strain from the consequences of those choices. When Martie encouraged them to read the
Psalms to find comfort, you could hear a change in the tone of voice. There was a distance that had not been
there. It was clear that they were not interested
in a spiritual solution. They quickly diverted
the subject from themselves to other people.
Like the woman at the well trying divert her conversation with Jesus because
He was getting too close to the “thing” she was clinging to. It broke my heart to see them turn away from
God in the conversation. There are doors to rooms that we don’t want to give
God entrance to. Jesus said “pick up your
cross”, “give up everything that competes with your devotion to God”. The Psalmist wrote “Trust God with your all” Paul said “offer
yourself as a living sacrifice.” I say “Let
the doors in your heart swing wide.” The young man did not lack good deeds, he
lacked faith in God and devotion to God.
Don’t make the same mistake.
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