One thing you lack ...

Are we willing to trade all that we have in this life so we can be received into eternal life? Would we trade our car for eternal life? How about our life's savings? Would we give two hours a day to the Lord if it guaranteed we would receive eternal life and live forever?

Now we know that we cannot earn our salvation, but what value do we place on it? How important is it to us? Does being aware of having eternal life change how we live our daily lives? How much of our life have we given to God ... money, time, possessions, entertainment? 

In Mark 10 a man approaches Jesus and asks him how he can be assured of having eternal life. Jesus quoted him several of the 10 commandments and the man said that he had kept them all from his youth on up. When Jesus heard the man's response He had great compassion for him and said ...

Mk 10:21 
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

The man, who owned much property, walked away sad. The man was so close and yet so far. Jesus is not asking us for our possessions and our money, He is asking us for our very life. He wants to be first and foremost in our hearts above all that we might possess in this life. Perhaps our willingness to give up our possessions, like this man who owned much property, is a measure of where we are in our heart before the Lord. God might not be asking for my car, but how much of my life is available for Him? 

When God draws close and asks something of me, I do not want to walk away sad. How about you?