June 26 Your Response

Luke 18:23-25 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
 
TO begin, Jesus is talking about a real camel going through a real needle’s eye. This is his use of an overstatement to make a point. His point is that wealth is an enormous barrier to faith. Subtly and surely, our comforts will become so large in our lives, we will say, “It’s impossible!” to sacrificially follow God.
    That is what happened to the wealthy ruler. As we look at part three of Jesus’ conversation with this wealthy man, we consider the man’s sad response. See how it was not love for Jesus, but it was the money that forced his sad response. One would think, though, he would be eager to do anything Jesus required! After all, in God’s benevolent care, the ruler used his knowledge and skills to accumulate wealth. And because the man asked the kingdom question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 18:18) apparently he believed in God. Likely, he would have studied and believed the words of the Law from Deuteronomy 6:4-6 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
    Yes, perhaps he had faithfully attended the synagogue each Sabbath. He had believed in the words and praised God for such call to hear God, love God and have a heart commitment to God. But what was his response when God’s Word confronted his wealth? Sadly, he was not truly willing to hear Jesus’ answer to his question: Luke 18:18 “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” In truth, he was only willing to do what was comfortable for him.
    Are you that way? Do you faithfully attend church to enjoy and find strength in the beauty and power with which God speaks? But what happens when you ask, “What must I do? Does this apply to me?” Do you believe God’s Word enough to the point it changes your life? Or do you sadly go your usual way?
    On that day, the ruler of all things confronted the rich ruler. The man was given the opportunity to respond with joy to the Master’s call. But he could not offer to the Lord what the Lord had so graciously offered to him.
    How hard it is, indeed, for our sinful souls to respond to the holy God. The more you treasure the world, the greater grows the “camel”. It remains an impossible barrier until you give it to God.
 
Prayer: I want to let go of myself, Lord, and come fully to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.