Don’t Walk Away Sad

Today’s blog post is contibuted by David Trotta:

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. (Matthew 19:20-22)

The rich man in the above story talked a good game until Jesus asked him to part with something that held his heart captive – his many possessions.

To the rich man, he had obeyed all the commandments Jesus listed.  He was probably feeling pretty good about his prospects of getting into heaven until Jesus dropped the bombshell.

Jesus peered into his heart and saw it.  That one thing that was reigning on the throne of his heart.  That one thing that Jesus knew would have to be surrendered before the rich man’s heart could be totally His.

The same goes for you and me.  As we walk with Jesus, He will test our commitment and devotion to Him by asking us to surrender those things in our hearts that will keep us from a deeper relationship with Him.

In the beginning they may be smaller things that are relatively easy to surrender, but eventually He will work His way to those things that have the greatest hold on our hearts.

Jesus wants to reign on the throne of our hearts unchallenged.

I wonder what the rich man thought about his encounter with Jesus in the hours, days, and weeks that followed.  Did he regret his decision?  Did he realize what he gave up to hold onto his possessions?

Jesus will never ask us to surrender something to Him without replacing it with something of greater value – more of Him.  But without the surrender, we limit the degree to which God can occupy our hearts.  We have to empty our hearts before He can fill them.

When Jesus shows you an area of your life that needs to be surrendered, don’t walk away sad.  Instead, say “yes Lord.”