This God!

This God!

Matthew 19:26 KJV

[26] But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

The context of the verse above holds lessons for all of us who seek impact, relevance and eternal life. There are decisions made that will lead to all these things. They could be habits, daily choices, intentional decisions, but all must be taken with an eye on what is truly important and eternal. There came a time, as Jesus drew closer to the cross, that He had to deal with different people with different and ulterior motives. Some sincerely came, seeking to know more about Him, whilst others only sought to trap Him with His words so they could arrest Him. As it was then, so is it still now. Why do you seek Him: for personal gain, or impact that will last? 

This rich young ruler came to Jesus, just as others like the Pharisees had come, seeking knowledge of eternal life. This is a question that all of us must consider and answer, if we would make it to the right destination. At least the young man knew what was important and critical; whether he sought validation from Jesus or was sincerely seeking eternal life, he came to the right source. There is a vacuum in every life, and the breath of God in us is His deposit in us. Nothing and no one else can fill that vacuum, no matter how much of it we acquire, or how sincere these people are. The breath of God is us does not mean automatic control; I have to give it to Him of my freewill.

This was the point where the young man was. He had everything going for him, at least by the world's standard, but he knew something was not complete. He asked, and Jesus hit the nail on the head, telling him what he was lacking. Unfortunately, the young man was focused on what he had, rather than what he was giving up. Many times, we are like that. We consider position, possession, power and privilege as important, and whilst they are in their own ways, they only make sense when they are in conjunction with the presence of God. The young man had earthly riches, but he was not rich toward God. What good would cash do in a place where it is not legal tender?

Jesus could sense the sincerity in the young man, but he could not let go of what he had. It is not a wonder that Jesus said that a rich man would hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. The disciples thought it was not possible, but in the hands of Jesus, nothing is impossible. There is no life so far gone that it is beyond the saving grace of God. Like the rich young ruler, we all have a choice to make: would I let go of all else and take hold of the life that Jesus offers, or would I focus on the temporal and the ephemeral? Both choices have both earthly and eternal consequences. You can have the best of both worlds, but the eternal takes priority. God's time of favour is here.