The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow,
having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about
what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow
with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s
Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you
to yield it to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personal
qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your
heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow.
The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But
every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will
simply repeat His words, saying, “If you really mean what you say, these
are the conditions.”
“Sell all that you have . . .” (Luke 18:22).
In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be
considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being
standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is
truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. Are you more
devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so,
you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that
will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is
only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware
of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact
that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be
so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a
disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of
awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become
discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love
may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.
No comments:
Post a Comment