Trust
Opening Prayer
King Jesus, be first in my life. Here I am in complete surrender—have Your way in me.
Read MARK 10:17–31
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What things of this world might you be clinging to? What have you left behind for Christ?God blesses us with riches, right? The disciples thought so. But here a rich man humbles himself, running and kneeling before Jesus because he knows he still lacks something in his faith: the assurance of eternal life that Jesus tells the disciples they already have (29,30).
When Jesus lists the commandments, did you spot which one he missed out? “You shall not covet” (Exod. 20:17)! He gently leads the rich man to understand this by encouraging him for his faithfulness, loving him and then inviting him to take the next steps: “Let go of what you are clinging to and follow me” (21).
Jesus loves us now. He is inviting us into a deeper, richer relationship. All we can do to inherit eternal life is to let go and follow him. Letting go of our lives and sharing our possessions is scary. But this is possible because we put God in charge. He promises to amply repay us and supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).
Apply
As you walk out your own faith, see if you can encourage someone else to take a step of faith today.
Closing prayer
Gracious God, help me to overcome my fear of letting go so that I can take the next step on my journey of faith.
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