When I was a kid, my mom and I would often go to the grocery store together. As she taught me how to compare prices to find the best deal, she would stroll up each aisle with a list of items in one hand and a calculator in the other. She knew how to make each coin count and how to find the best deal. Now, as my husband and I step out into the unknown as church planters, I face a palpable fear of the uncertainties—some of which are financial. No matter how tightly I hold the calculator, however, I can’t control the future.
The wealthy religious leader mentioned in Luke 18 had been serious in his pursuit of God’s law from a young age (Luke 18:21). Unlike the pharisaical people who troubled Jesus with manipulative questions and derisive comments (Luke 11:53-54), this man came to Jesus for answers. He even asked, “What should I do to inherit eternal life?”—a question that indicates a belief in something beyond this world.
Loving Jesus is an appealing idea to embrace. We treasure the sense of belonging, understand the benefits of fidelity, and find it exciting to be part of a kingdom that moves in strength. But there’s a difference between wanting to love Jesus and actually following Him.
In the end, the young man left unsatisfied with Jesus’ answer to trust Him above all else. He couldn’t embrace both intimacy with Jesus and his dependence on material things (Matthew 6:24).
More than a warning about the dangers of wealth, the young man’s story highlights this truth: As we journey with Jesus, the best deal is dependency on God more than what we can hold in our hands (Luke 18:22-23).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 1:1-18
More:
Read Matthew 6:19-21 and consider what Jesus says about the nature of true treasure.
Next:
Identify any areas where you’re depending on yourself or others more than on God for your provision (financial or otherwise). What does it look like for you to trust in God alone for all you need?
Winn Collier on June 5, 2014 at 6:51 am
the image of opening up my tightly clenched fist, releasing my tight grip on my life, has been an important image I return to again and again. Miska and i have spent the last 6 years helping a new church form. It’s a stretch, even when done in healthy ways (which it often isn’t). I pray for grace, strength, joy and provision for you, your family and your community.
Regina Franklin on June 5, 2014 at 10:27 am
Winn,
For some reason, church planting as seemed a bit akin to skydiving in my mind. The word you used–“stretch”–is so fitting; we are not deliberately looking for opportunities to fail, but we are becoming so very aware of God’s grace, and the grace others demonstrate toward us (and even just as vital, the grace we demonstrate toward ourselves). Thank you for your prayers. Every day is still a new place, a step into the unknown, but we are so grateful to be in this place.
Tom Felten on June 5, 2014 at 9:38 am
Regina, I can aspire to depend on God, but the way I live and give truly reflects where I believe my sure foundation lies. Thanks for this reminder!
Regina Franklin on June 5, 2014 at 10:28 am
Yes–belief and action are inseparable. Otherwise, what we say is only an ideal.