But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26 KJV
The Inspiration:
I am not sure what the exact motivation was, but we see a young man here, who came to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to have eternal life. It is a question all of us must ask and get the right answers to, if we desire to end well. Jesus gave him the first part of the answer, which is clear obedience to God's instructions. I cannot routinely and blatantly disobey the rules of a kingdom I claim to be subject to, and expect no dire consequences. Obeying rules is a sign that I am a child of God. As I review my life today, can I say, of a truth, that God is pleased with my life of service and obedience to Him? This young man took a good look at himself, and could say that he had kept the commands of the law. However, he knew something was missing. He had kept all the law, but there was still a lack. On a personal note, have I elevated activity over and above my relationship with God? Am I more concerned about how I look or should I not be more concerned with what God thinks of me?
The Contention:
Jesus did not fault him, but then came the second part of the answer, which is the personal application of the life of Jesus to my daily pursuits and priorities. Knowing the law is just one small bit; the greater burden is in applying it to my daily life. Jesus knew the issue with the young man wasn't about activity, but about priority. The young man was rich in possession, but he could not define his life outside of what he had. Jesus then laid it out: power and possessions are man's greatest distractions. They keep your heart away from what God says, to what you think you can achieve on your own. As far as Jesus was concerned, earthly riches, if not properly situated, can become a hindrance to a man's eternal plan. For me, the question is: "How do I view the things that have been committed into my hands"? It is not a wonder that Jesus said that it will be hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. It will never be about possession, but about heart and attitude. Do I know the limits of what I hold and own?
The Conclusion:
Jesus' statement made the disciples ask: Who then can be saved, if this is the standard of the kingdom of heaven? Human beings remain mortal and limited; God is immortal and limitless. The things that would distract men do not hold God's attention. Man seeks to force things to happen, sometimes, trying to use the value of possessions to define impact. God is not bothered by such things; He is the One who can use the most mundane things to achieve the most miraculous. That which I think is impossible, simply because my mortal, limited mind cannot fathom is, is God's usual and daily activity. I note that verse says 'With God', which means that whatever it is I will seek to achieve must be done with Him, not outside of Him. If I will make it down here, impacting the world He has placed me in, and then also making it to eternity with Him, which is His ultimate desire, I must go with Him. When He is with me, the impossible becomes the daily experience. God's time of favour is here.
No comments:
Post a Comment