Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading – Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Theme: THE LOVE OF GOD

Text: “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” – Mark 10:21, 22.

Comment: During his earthly ministry, a certain rich man ran to meet the Lord Christ with a question on what he should do to inherit eternal life. When told to keep the commandments, he said he had kept them right from youth. It was then the Lord told him to give up all of them for full time service in the Lord’s Ministry. The rich man in the story could not take up the opportunity given him by the Lord because he did not want to forgo his wealth and what he felt were the bright prospects of making even more money. His love for God was not deep enough to impel him to forgo all of them for the kingdom of God’s sake. See Luke 12:17-21. Compare Luke 14:18-20.

 

The fact is that the pursuit of wealth, while not sinful, works at cross purposes with that of full devotion to the work of God. He that is called to be a servant of God must be the Lord’s “freeman” and not be tied to worldly concerns. – 1 Corinthians 7:20-24.

Peter and Andrew, James and John, had thriving businesses as fishermen. But when they were called into apostleship by Christ, they left everything and followed him. (Matthew 4:17-22) Matthew left his office where he was collecting tax in obedience to the Lord’s call and never went back. (Matthew 9:9,10; Luke 5:27-29) Those whom God has graciously called to do His work must not allow monetary concerns to distract them. – 1 Peter 5:1-3.

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