Theme: SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Text: “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched.” – Mark 9:43.
Comment: Our Lord Jesus Christ used the hand, foot, and eye separately to symbolize anything that is precious to us and to teach us that if anything that is very dear to us would cause us to lose eternal life, it will be better to deny ourselves of it. Can we resist the temptation to cheat or even to kill in order to unjustly enrich oneself as Ahab did? (1 Kings 21) Should we for fear of death, due to grievous or persistent ill-health, seek help from the devil, as did King Ahaziah, for which he died anyway? (2 Kings 1) Are we given to drunkenness and selfishness for which Nabal lost his wife and his life? (1 Samuel 25:1-36) Are we getting easy money from an ungodly practice, as the damsel who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying, which demon St. Paul cast out and for which he was thrown into prison? (Acts 16:16-24) He who wants to be a disciple of Christ indeed, must be ready to deny himself of ungodly practices and pleasures. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? – Mark 8:35, 36.