Dearest e-votees,
Jesus calls us towards undistracted devotion. Those things that come between us and Jesus are the very things we may be called to put aside.
This kind of call is certainly beyond our ability to manage--as if threading a needle with a camel--but God is able to do far beyond what we know to be possible.
I'm grateful to our weekly text study that helped open up this text, and previous weeks' too, about our attempts to get by with the bare minima.
Peace,
Karl
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17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” 20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
,br> 28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Mark 10:2-16, NRSV
A man kneels before Jesus and asks "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Which is another way of saying "When have I done enough to earn eternal life?" Which is another way of saying "When can I stop trying to earn eternal life?" Which is another way of saying "What do I have to do or give over in service to God and what do I get to do or keep for myself?" This young man is trying to map out when he has done enough. He has been faithful in abiding the commandments since he was young. He wants, perhaps, to slow down and take it easy. Perhaps he wants to build bigger siloes to store his abundance and eat, drink and be merry. Jesus says, loving him, that he lacks one thing--he needs to liquidate his assets and follow Jesus. Jesus pushed him beyond what he was able or willing to give and the man went away shocked and grieving.
Jesus says that it is easier to thread a needle with a camel than for a wealthy person to enter into the kingdom of God? What is your "wealth"? What is the thing that you are unable or unwilling to give up for the sake of following Jesus? What is the thing that would stymie the conversation and send you away in shock and grief? All of us are wealthy. All of us have divided hearts. What is the thing that keeps you from entering into the kingdom of heaven? What is your non-negotiable?
For all of us it is easier to push a pack-animal through a puny pinhole than it is to enter of our own accord. We can't merit the kingdom of heaven. We have things we value more than the kingdom of heaven. For all of our best intentions and efforts we can't do enough. For us it is impossible. But God is not constrained as we are. God can bring us into the kingdom of heaven. God does bring us into the kingdom of heaven.
God changes our hearts from "What's the least I can do to get by?" to "What things do you have in store in me and through me as I follow after you?" The kingdom isn't merely a matter of eternal life but of abundant life starting now that continues on to eternity. There is a profoundly deep but narrow path that leads us along the kingdom way. God loves us too much to let things remain in our lives that deter us from the path. We may be shocked and grieved at what God demands but there is always blessings and assurances that trump our temporary troubles and trepidations.
God, guide us on the path you have created for us. Help us put aside that that so easily hinders. Thank you for salvation and joy that are only possible through you. Amen.
I have been writing these e-vos for quite some time (this is the 469th post since I started using the http://e-vos.blogspot.com URL in 2007). It has been a challenge, as you may have noticed, to publish regularly each Wednesday. I am planning to continue on to 500 posts and then take a substantial if not permanent break from writing this devotion series. My hope and prayer is that this has been a blessing to you. Thank you for reading them and the encouraging comments that have come my way.
Jesus calls us towards undistracted devotion. Those things that come between us and Jesus are the very things we may be called to put aside.
This kind of call is certainly beyond our ability to manage--as if threading a needle with a camel--but God is able to do far beyond what we know to be possible.
I'm grateful to our weekly text study that helped open up this text, and previous weeks' too, about our attempts to get by with the bare minima.
Peace,
Karl
------------
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” 20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
,br> 28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
A man kneels before Jesus and asks "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Which is another way of saying "When have I done enough to earn eternal life?" Which is another way of saying "When can I stop trying to earn eternal life?" Which is another way of saying "What do I have to do or give over in service to God and what do I get to do or keep for myself?" This young man is trying to map out when he has done enough. He has been faithful in abiding the commandments since he was young. He wants, perhaps, to slow down and take it easy. Perhaps he wants to build bigger siloes to store his abundance and eat, drink and be merry. Jesus says, loving him, that he lacks one thing--he needs to liquidate his assets and follow Jesus. Jesus pushed him beyond what he was able or willing to give and the man went away shocked and grieving.
Jesus says that it is easier to thread a needle with a camel than for a wealthy person to enter into the kingdom of God? What is your "wealth"? What is the thing that you are unable or unwilling to give up for the sake of following Jesus? What is the thing that would stymie the conversation and send you away in shock and grief? All of us are wealthy. All of us have divided hearts. What is the thing that keeps you from entering into the kingdom of heaven? What is your non-negotiable?
For all of us it is easier to push a pack-animal through a puny pinhole than it is to enter of our own accord. We can't merit the kingdom of heaven. We have things we value more than the kingdom of heaven. For all of our best intentions and efforts we can't do enough. For us it is impossible. But God is not constrained as we are. God can bring us into the kingdom of heaven. God does bring us into the kingdom of heaven.
God changes our hearts from "What's the least I can do to get by?" to "What things do you have in store in me and through me as I follow after you?" The kingdom isn't merely a matter of eternal life but of abundant life starting now that continues on to eternity. There is a profoundly deep but narrow path that leads us along the kingdom way. God loves us too much to let things remain in our lives that deter us from the path. We may be shocked and grieved at what God demands but there is always blessings and assurances that trump our temporary troubles and trepidations.
God, guide us on the path you have created for us. Help us put aside that that so easily hinders. Thank you for salvation and joy that are only possible through you. Amen.
I have been writing these e-vos for quite some time (this is the 469th post since I started using the http://e-vos.blogspot.com URL in 2007). It has been a challenge, as you may have noticed, to publish regularly each Wednesday. I am planning to continue on to 500 posts and then take a substantial if not permanent break from writing this devotion series. My hope and prayer is that this has been a blessing to you. Thank you for reading them and the encouraging comments that have come my way.
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