One Thing - Wholehearted Following

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."  Mark 10:21 

Jesus felt compassion and love for this young ruler. This illustrates for me the truth that to love courageously sometimes requires us to say the hard things.

Via Google Images

I don't think this teaching is about wealth as much as it is about loving and following Jesus wholeheartedly. Jesus fingers the one thing which competed for this young man's affections and asks him to surrender that thing in order to follow Him. Who knows, he may have gotten it back...but he couldn't, or wouldn't,  surrender this one thing.

Following Jesus requires I give up the one thing - anything - which the HOLY SPIRIT (as opposed to others) points out is competing with Jesus for my heart. Following Jesus requires a radical commitment.

What competes with Jesus for my affections?

What distracts my focus from Jesus?

Is there anything which divides my heart from following Jesus wholeheartedly?

What keeps me from deeper intimacy with Jesus?

That may be my one thing.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...