November 9, 2022 - Matthew 19:16, 18-21

“Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.” “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”” Matthew 19:16, 18-21 NLT

Lord, we thank you so much that you have made a way for us to have eternal life. We praise you that it isn’t something that we have to earn but is a gift. But even though it is free, it does require something from us. It requires that we surrender our life to you and your ways. The beauty of a life surrendered to you is that we don’t actually lose anything, but we gain so much. Anything we sow (surrender) will come back to us as a harvest at some point. Lord, we praise you that your harvests are so much better than anything we would have produced in our own effort, “running” our own lives.

As I read this passage, other than following your commandments, there are two things that you ask of him. The first is to sell all his possessions. Lord, help us to have an open hand with all our possessions. You have given us anything that we own. Even if we think that we have earned it ourselves, without your blessings we would have nothing. So, everything we have belongs to you and we only steward it. If you ask for it, help us be willing to lay it down. The second thing that you ask is for him to follow you. Lord, make us willing to obey anything you ask. We want to follow you wherever you lead. Let our answer always be yes to whatever you ask regardless of the cost to us - for you are worthy.

In Jesus name, amen.