…Jesus…said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have…and come, follow Me.” But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. —Luke 18:22-23

Have you ever heard the Master say something very difficult to you? If you haven’t, I question whether you have ever heard Him say anything at all. Jesus says a tremendous amount to us that we listen to, but do not actually hear. And once we do hear Him, His words are harsh and unyielding.

Jesus did not show the least concern that this rich young ruler should do what He told him, nor did Jesus make any attempt to keep this man with Him. He simply said to him, “Sell all that you have…and come, follow Me.” Our Lord never pleaded with him; He never tried to lure him— He simply spoke the strictest words that human ears have ever heard, and then left him alone.

Have I ever heard Jesus say something difficult and unyielding to me? Has He said something personally to me to which I have deliberately listened— not something I can explain for the sake of others, but something I have heard Him say directly to me? This man understood what Jesus said. He heard it clearly, realizing the full impact of its meaning, and it broke his heart. He did not go away as a defiant person, but as one who was sorrowful and discouraged. He had come to Jesus on fire with zeal and determination, but the words of Jesus simply froze him. Instead of producing enthusiastic devotion to Jesus, they produced heartbreaking discouragement. And Jesus did not go after him, but let him go. Our Lord knows perfectly well that once His word is truly heard, it will bear fruit sooner or later. What is so terrible is that some of us prevent His words from bearing fruit in our present life. I wonder what we will say when we finally make up our minds to be devoted to Him on that particular point? One thing is certain— He will never throw our past failures back in our faces.

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August 17, 2016

Journal for Today-JDV

Good morning God and thank you for the time and opportunity to meet with you this morning. It seems that both David and I have been managing health issues over the past several days and have not been able to meet early in the morning, However, we have had ample opportunities to take you at your word as we experience pain, fear and discouragements. Perhaps this is how we live out the experiences that help us ….know that all things work for the good of those that love the Lord. Perhaps this is how we live out Jeremiah 29:11… I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Today’s devotional is about the rich young ruler Lord, not our infirmities, how are they connected?

And God says…” When you are surrendered, connected, curious, and obedient, you begin to see God at work in everything. You see Me in the circumstance with the rich young ruler; knowing that I did use the opportunity to make Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11 come alive for the rich young ruler just as you see the connection to your own circumstances. When you are surrendered and connected, you can be curious as to how I will use a difficult circumstance for good but you know, you just know that all things work together for good.

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