Mark 10:17-20 ESV
And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth."Mark 10:17-20 ESV
In other words, what is missing from my life? And Jesus responds with a question, "are u suggesting that I'm God?"
Note how the man doesn't answer the question showing that he is more interested in religion. So Jesus starts on the commandments and gets interrupted by the guy who this time says teacher but doesn't say good.
Mark 10:21-22 ESV
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Jesus looked on him with love. And told him the 1 thing that he lacked; the one thing that the man put above Jesus; the one thing that took up the focal point of the mans life... money. Too many have one thing that they have placed in the place of Jesus. Jesus must be our fulcrom.
Listen, the problem in this story and in our stories is not money... It’s that we have placed something to lean on in our life other than Jesus. The one thing that we r depending on other than Jesus. This is what is being communicated here.
Sometimes we ask the right questions but we aren't really open to the real answers. Ask God what it is you depend on in place of Him and be prepared to accept and react to the real answer whether u like it or not.
Have u commited "almost" everything in your life to God? What is that one thing u are still holding on to? What is it that u just haven't been able to give over to God and let Him be in charge of in your life? For many/most, it is money.
Mark 10:23-25 ESV
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."
Is it a sin to be rich? No. That's not what is said here. Is it impossible to be saved if u r rich? Nope. Also not what Jesus said. But yes, it is very hard. Jesus knows how hard it is to depend on God if you have great monetary wealth because of how easily the world buys into the lie that money can take better care of you than God can.
Ask yourself, "how am I handling my money?" You may find yourself in a place where u feel hopeless and u feel as though your money is ruling you. If money or finances have caused anxiety or discomfort in you or your household, what is it that you can change (other than the level of you income)?
Is it possible that ur money and ur possessions are standing in between u and living the life u were meant to live in Jesus? Ask yourself what the one thing is that is standing between you and life to the fullest in Christ. Pray about it. If its not money than ask God what it is, that He would reveal to you the way to a more abundant life in Christ and help you to tear down any walls in the way of fully trusting in Him.
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