Matthew 19:16-26
New International Version 1984
(NIV1984)
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good
thing must I do to get eternal life ?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There
is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” the man inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do
not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor
your father and mother, and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I
still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be
perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he
had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I
tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished
and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With
man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
I
have read this scripture many times, heard sermons on it and have studied it in
Bible studies, yet today it really hit me personally. I have never thought of myself as rich but
compared to some people I am extremely rich.
I have never had to go to bed hungry because there was not any food in
the house. I have never had to wonder
where I would sleep, there has always been a comfortable bed for me, and I only
had to take a cold shower when the hot water heater went out. Not everyone can make that claim and I am
thankful to God that I can. I was raised
in a Christian home, have always had Christian friends and I married a
Christian man that was also raised in a Christian home. My life has truly been protected by God but
today I had to wonder what I have given up for Him.
Years
ago my husband and I thought about doing foreign missionary work. We even visited with missionaries and fellow
Christian regarding this that had been placed in our hearts but nothing ever
materialized. We were hesitant to go to
the mission field because of the health of my mother but one missionary couple
told us how they had left a family that had many health problems but they felt
they were in the center of God’s will so they went not knowing if they would
see their family alive on this earth again.
God did allow them to come home to their family a few years later. I have thought of their story many times when
I think of being in the center of God’s will.
When our daughter went to a foreign country a few years ago as a
missionary I was able to send her willingly knowing that she was in the center
of God’s will. I believe the safest
place to be is in His will. Allowing Him
to use you to do His will is the most satisfying moment anyone can have on this
earth.
Today
as I read this passage I had to think about my current situation. When I was laid off from my job I was very
devastated but I felt there was something better out there for me. I really thought that I would not have
difficulty finding a job in the field of education because I had high reviews
and it was what God had gifted me with.
I never had a bad evaluation, they were always well above the expectation
mark. I had been involved with state
work and had knowledge and experience that ranged from early childhood to high
school and from special education to general education. Yet door after door closed on me. Jobs that I thought fit me perfectly just
shut in my face. I had people tell me
how good I was at what I did but no one would hire me. I have asked the Lord many times why but not
in a negative way. I just really want to
know and understand what He wants me to learn.
If it was something about me that I had done wrong, I wanted to know so
I could change it.
During
those times I began to write this blog because I knew I needed to be in the Word
and I had hoped that others would spur me on and be in the Word with me. From the blog sprouted a Bible study that I
have with woman in my home. It is a
study that I have in the afternoon, something I could not do when I was working
full time.
This
caused me to wonder, is my job what I gave up to follow Jesus? Has He not allowed me to have a job in my
field of passion because that is exactly what it was, a passion for a job not a
passion for Him? I dedicated my job to
Him, I asked Him to be with me and to guide me each step of the way. He guided me away from the job. It has caused me pain, yes. Have I ever felt He had abandoned me?
Absolutely NO. He has been with me the
entire time and has guided me and probably protected me from situations I will
never know about. Do I still get an urge
to be in education? Absolutely YES. Do I still cry and ask Him why at times? YES.
But if I have to give up all of that to follow Him, I will do it. I don’t want to be like the rich young ruler
that clung so tight to what he had that he could not experience the joy of
following Jesus.
Read
the last verse of this passage once again.
Matthew 19:26 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are
possible.” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019:26&version=NIV1984)
What an
amazing verse! There is nothing that is
impossible with God not even a camel walking through the eye of a needle. I can’t even get the thread to go through
sometimes but God can get a camel through.
I have heard many explanations regarding the eye of a needle. Some say it is a rock that looks like it has
an eye like a needle and that camels don’t like to walk through them. Some take it as a literal needle. I think if you get hung up on what Jesus
meant by the “eye of a needle” you miss the point of what He says is verse 26,
EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD! Why is
it then that I found myself without a job?
It is because God has other plans for me. Maybe for now it is drawing closer to Him
through reading His word and listening to what He has to say. Maybe I am to inspire someone to follow the
Lord that I would not have ever met without this blog or my current job. Maybe He is giving me a break so I can go
back stronger and better. I don’t know,
but I do know that He is in control and when He wants me somewhere nothing is
too impossible for Him to put me there.
I must remain willing to give up all in order to follow Him.
Where
are you today? Are you happy and content
in your current situation? Are you
continuing to follow Jesus? Do you things? Often times our happiness and contentment is
a sign of complacency towards Him. Jesus
has not asked us to be content with this life but to give up all and come
follow Him. As you seek Him may you find
Him in the center of your life.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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