ODJ: so close, yet so far
September 18, 2010
“There is still one thing you haven’t done,” He told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me” (v.21).
READ: Mark 10:17-31
The host of a TV quiz show said, “Come up with the missing word at the end of the phrase and spell it correctly, and you’ll win our grand-prize trip to Europe. Are you ready? The phrase is, ‘Old MacDonald had a____.’ And remember, you must spell the missing word.”
The contestant said, “Old MacDonald had a farm.” “All right,” said the emcee, “what you have to do now is spell the word and you win our super-deluxe trip to Europe.”
“That’s easy,” said the contestant. “E-I-E-I-O.” Oops!
We may laugh at this story, but it illustrates how close we can be to receiving God’s blessings, and yet so far away. The rich young man in Mark 10 provides a perfect example of someone in this condition.
We read in verse 17 that he was an earnest seeker. He came running up to Jesus and knelt down. He was undeterred by the opposition of the “religious leader” class he belonged to (Luke 18:18). Next, we find that he had been obeying the commandments to a “T” since his youth. This man had maintained impeccable moral character—even through all the temptations of youth!
Yet he still lacked one thing: He loved riches more than he loved God (Mark 10:22). Jesus had told him that he needed to surrender his all, out of love for God. The rich young man needed to deny himself and love God first and foremost by giving away his money.
Mark records the man’s tragic choice. He departed, still possessing his earthly riches, but lacking eternal treasure.
Have you been putting your faith in God or in your material possessions? Unless you’ve made a personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ—surrendering your all to Him—you’re close, yet far away from Him. —Poh Fang Chia
What keeps you from loving God first and foremost? What will you surrender to Him today?
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