ON YOUR MARK: WEEK 10 DAY 1

Mark 10:17-22

The Rich Young Man

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

I recently read the story of a woman that challenged me. After the humble beginnings of traveling across the country with only a sack lunch and the hopes of attending a Bible college in California, this woman ended up graduating from that college, meeting her husband, and taking part in a very challenging ministry that took place all over the world. Finally, when her children were nearly grown, they had settled back in California where she was doing great work for the church. Her husband was in Asia, developing schools for Christian children and she thought life had found a new rhythm. Then God led her to this passage that we read today, over and over. She knew it was not for a message she needed to teach, it was for her. She wrestled for a while, then finally submitted to God. She and her daughter sold everything they had, except what fit into two suitcases, and waited for God’s next direction.

Wow! We think that kind of faith belongs with Abraham, but not us. Not nowadays, right? She went on to do powerful evangelism all over England and Europe, with many people coming to know Jesus. Like the young man in this passage, she was already living a good faithful life, but Jesus called her to something more; He wanted her whole heart. 

Re-read the passage. What is God speaking to you?