The Struggle To Follow

Verses for reflection this morning - Mark 10:17-31 NIV:

[17] "As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

[18] “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good---except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.' ” 

[20] “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 

[21] Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 

[22] At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 

[23] Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 

[24] The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! [25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 

[26] The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 

[27] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” 

[28] Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” 

[29] “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel [30] will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields---along with persecutions---and in the age to come eternal life. [31] But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

It is interesting, in reading some commentaries about these verses, so many focus on the statement Jesus makes in verse 25 about the camel and the eye of a needle, almost like its more important than verse 27, or verses 29-31.  Apparently there really was no gate known as the "eye of the needle", so Jesus really was talking about a sewing needle and a camel.  Regardless, Jesus is stating in verse 27, that this quest for eternal life is impossible without God, without relationship with Him, but absolutely possible with God!

The truth is simple, without the Lord's sacrifice, His fulfilment of the Law, His death and resurrection, no one, whether rich or poor, good or bad, was going to be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven or eternal life on their own righteousness. It is impossible, except for God's intervention.  In my opinion, Jesus just happens to make the connection to the rich, because of the rich young man, but the same could be said for everyone.  He might have been making a statement that it is extra hard for the rich, due to their attachment to the trappings of wealth, but the reality is that without relationship with Him, we are all lost.  

The rich young man had walked away from relationship with Jesus because of his idolatry of riches.  He is no different than those who walk away from relationship with the Lord for many other selfish reasons.  The call to take up our cross and follow Him, to lose our life that we might gain eternal life (Mark 10:38-39) is the same for us all!

Its a painful truth to our selfish, fleshly perspective, and we struggle to accept the Lord's invitation.  His parable about the sower, the seed and the soil (See Matt 13:3-9) is about our willingness to receive His word, to listen and respond. Jesus ends that parable with a simple statement,  "Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 13:9 NIV).  We sometimes read that as a not part of the parable, but I believe the Lord is summarizing and emphasizing the whole of it, as being about hearing, and then acting!

I think the young man in my original verses, didn't really hear the true invitation.  His hearing was immediately blocked by the need to free himself from his riches.  I know there are many times I will hear someone say something that is jarring, and I won't hear a word they say afterwards, because I am so focused on what caught my attention.  When my honey was dealing with cancer, I always made sure to go with her to the doctor, and afterwards, we would compare what we heard, and many times she had missed much, for the shock of the diagnosis had overwhelmed her ability to listen further.  

I believe the Lord knew how the young man was going to respond, but he still looked at him and loved him (verse 21), for He know well our weaknesses and struggles, and inability to truly help ourselves.  I am so grateful that Jesus added verse 27!  We can depend on Him to continue to extend the invitation, to continue to love us, to continue to help us, to welcome us with open arms when we do finally accept the invitation!  Finally, we can depend on Him to lead us to eternal life, for it is only His to give.

One last note, Jesus adds an answer to Peter's claim of leaving everything to follow Him, and indicates He is well aware of everything we lay down, everything we leave to follow Him, and He intends to bless us beyond our pittance, in this age and the age to come.  Some people think this is a promise of wealth and prosperity, and I like how Jesus adds, "along with persecutions" just to make sure we don't think everything will be easy.  

This morning I am encouraged that He is worthy of me accepting His invitation once again, and that in that I will experience His love, His blessing, and a dying to my selfish ways.  I am reminded that I have many things that I struggle to lay down, but He sees, understands and invites me forward in love to follow Him anyways!  

Lord, help me to follow You!

Amen and Amen!