Easier For A Camel ~ Day 24

October 25 2006 - Day 24

Mark 10:17-27

Passage: As Jesus is setting out to continue His journey, a man who is identified as a rich young ruler meets Him. The passage says that the young man runs up to Jesus and asks Him how he can have eternal life. Jesus responds in a very wise way. First He asks the young man if he had kept all the Ten Commandments. The young man responds, “well yeah, I’ve kept those since I was a child.” Jesus, without verbally addressing this rich young rulers sin, shows it by demonstration. Jesus then says to the rich young ruler, “you lack one thing, go and sell all that you have, give the money to the poor, and come and follow me.” The rich young ruler goes away with sorrow. He was not willing to give up all his riches in order to follow Christ. Jesus then says that it is as hard for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of heaven as it is as hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. The disciples are stunned at this saying and they want to know, “well who then can enter the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus says that it is impossible for man to do it. He says it is only possible with God.

Application: This is definitely a stunning passage of Scripture. I know that if I were left to myself with my own abilities and desires, I would not have sold all my possessions so that I could follow Jesus. Money and possessions hold such a powerful grip on the hearts of all people, especially me. Jesus said that we must be willing to give up everything in order to follow Him. I think it is right to say that the mere possession of money and things was not the problem of the rich young ruler. The problem was that his love for money was greater than his love for Jesus. He would rather have his riches than have eternal life with Jesus. This same principle applies to all sins. In order to follow Jesus I must be willing to give up all of my sins. This is the meaning of repentance. Repentance is the rejecting and turning away from sin so that I might follow Jesus. I pray that I may have the will and the desire, through the grace of God, to renounce all my sins and any sin that I might discover that is hiding in my life. Jesus, help me to love you more than any other person or thing. Guard me from collecting sinful treasures that dishonor you and your grace towards me. You alone are worthy of my fullest desires and longings.