17 As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?" 18 Jesus said, "Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. 19 You know the commandments: Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, don't cheat, honor your father and mother." 20 He said, "Teacher, I have - from my youth - kept them all!" 21 Jesus looked him hard in the eye - and loved him! He said, "There's one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me." 22 The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.
What is going on in this story is a battle of the wills, not just the pocketbook. A confrontation with addiction and a call to surrender. It is your story and mine!
The question is sincere for the man is sincere. But he wanted to be in control. He wanted to do it his way. “Just tell me and I’ll do it!” might well be a correct paraphrase of his dialogue with Jesus.
Jesus loved him. What follows comes out of love not judgment. He enters the man’s life at the one place where he does not want God to be, the one place he does not want to surrender.
This is always where God seeks entrance into our lives. For until we surrender where we least want to surrender, we are still in control and doing it our way. We are still seeking to be saved by good works rather than grace. We have to reach the place where we know we can do nothing, then God can do everything.
“By grace we are saved, not works! Let go and let God! "
Prayer thought for the week: “Lord help me to surrender what I most want to keep and accept Your love as enough…enough to make the journey joyful beyond measure.”
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