God Provides A Way Back
To the penitent, God provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope and has chosen for them the lot of truth. Return to him and give up sin, pray to the LORD and make your offenses few. Sirach 17:24-25
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. Mark 10:18
Piety
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next. Amen.
Study
A spoonful of sugar might help the medicine go down but no one accused Jesus of imitating Mary Poppins. Ever. Mark Chapter 10 is definitely not espousing the “prosperity Gospel.”
Some Christians believe that financial blessings are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth. Those folks are not reading this chapter of the Good News.
Take, for instance, the Prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:10):
Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Oh, that you may truly bless me and extend my boundaries! May your hand be with me and make me free of misfortune, without pain!” And God granted his prayer.
The prayer is composed of four parts. First, Jabez asks God to bless him. Second, he asks God to enlarge his territory or increase his responsibility. Third, he prays that God will be with him and stay close. Lastly, Jabez asks that God keep him from harm so that he will be free from pain.
Jabez does not turn money into an idol. God still is at the center of his universe. However, the object of the prayer puts Jabez in the same camp as the man with many possessions. How would Jabez react if God answered his prayer the same way Jesus did today?
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You lack one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
God provides a way back. The man with many possessions may not like it. Jabez may not like it. My retirement saving account may not like it. However, as another one of Julie Andrews’ infamous movie characters would say, “When God closes a door, he opens a window.” (Maria von Trapp)
Action
Rather than seeking riches in this life, Jesus wants us to store up treasures in heaven. We can be supremely happy with Him there. He just wants us to ask to be reasonably happy in this life.
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