Friday, August 26, 2011

Are You Willing to Give it Up?

Luke 18:21-22
21"All these things I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me."

The rich young ruler bragged of how he kept all the commandments. Some of us wonder why Jesus would say what he said. He wasn't saying there was anything wrong with money. He wanted to show the ruler that he had indeed violated the first commandment which is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts and all our might and to have no other gods before Him. The ruler had made what he desired most more important than God. He never saw it that way but Jesus showed it to him by asking him to give it up. Now it doesn't have to be money but what in our lives have we desired more than God? It's not always material either. But it's an illustration that God wants ALL of us to love and worship Him first. The Lord blessed Abraham with a seed that would make the father of many nations. The Lord tested him though. He told him he'd have to sacrifice Isaac back to Him. The Lord only tested him to see if he would not only be faithful but if he would give up that which he most desired. Abraham passed the test. If the Lord came to you right now and said give up _____ (fill in the blank with what you desire most), would you do it? Would you be able to give it up? If your answer is no, then you have your answer to what it is that you love more than you love the Lord. He already knows but like the rich young ruler, he wants you to see it for yourself. Not to point a finger at you but to bring you to a place of repentance and deliverance from whatever it is your holding on to more than you hold on to Him. Will you let go? Are you willing to give it up?

No comments:

Post a Comment