Mark 10:23-30- What are we living for?
"And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, Then who can be saved? Jesus looked at them and said, With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God. Peter began to say to him, See, we have left everything and followed you. Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life."
Can you see Peter jabbing Jesus and says, "Hey, what about us? We've given up everything to follow you!" Jesus doesn't even let him say another word. He wanted them (us) to get this point. Eternity is so much bigger and better. Sacrifice for Jesus is so much more satisfying than what stuff or even the closest relationships can afford us. The only surprise as I read this is the phrase "with persecutions" woven into the hundredfold promise. Isn't this suppose to be about a hundredfold blessing? Evidently being persecuted for Jesus' sake is a blessing. A few verses later he seems to be telling James & John they would be privileged share in His baptism of suffering. I think the idea is that to drink His cup of suffering is to share in intimacy with Him. Loss of stuff and relationship with persecutions equal unimaginable gain both now and for eternity? It's almost unimaginable. It's off the charts to think this way. Religious leaders have almost always focused more on the material gains/blessings from God. But this is vintage Jesus! It's out of this world's logic. It can only be proven by those who follow.
It's like trying to tell someone who needs heart surgery how amazing it is to have your arteries cleaned or a pace-maker put in before they have had it. They can only know just how great it is after doing it. That's why so few really go for it. We want to taste it a little first. We want to stay in the crowd where it's safe. Where we can remain unchanged and unchallenged. But to step out and give it all up like the rich young ruler was challenged to do...wow! What if he had given up everything, given it to the poor and followed Jesus. What an amazing story. It's almost like Jesus doesn't tell us that story so that we don't compare ourselves and feel less important. The widow and her 2 mites tells us it's not the amount we give that matters, it's the percentage of what we have...only 100% counts. She gave all that she had to live on, which is the same whether you are rich or poor. All is still all. Having nothing but Jesus is still all you need. But you don't know that till you do it.
Lord, please help me to do it! Please help me to give it all and not hold back. My flesh is so tricky. It's so weak. In a moment I go from wanting to give it all away to wanting to keep it all and even get more! Show me how it looks practically to be 100% yours! Show me how to give it away day to day. It almost seems easier to give everything away at once. But giving it all to You each day...that takes Holy Spirit empowerment! I love You. I really love You. I owe everything to You. I truly have nothing. Without You it's like I"m in a nasty prison with an un-repayable debt to pay and no hope of getting out or being with my family and free ever again. Without You I'm separated from all that has meaning, surrounded by others who are in the same hopeless state and bitter. But that's not where I am now that I have You! Thank You so much for saving me completely and eternally! Make me willing to use my freedom to serve You with all that I am and have!
