Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”       Mark 10:21 NIV

Jesus has this conversation with a rich man, but notice, it says, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” Jesus is repeating what we see over and over and over again in the gospels. This is not a rare occurrence. If you want to follow Me, if anyone would come after Me, let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Me. Take up a cross. Die to yourself. Die to the pursuits and pleasures and possessions of this world and follow Me wherever, however I lead. Now, that can sound hard, even harsh. But see what it’s driven by. Jesus, looking at the rich man, loved him. Jesus calls us to let go of our possessions, to die to ourselves, to deny ourselves. Why? Because He wants that which is not good for us? Because He wants to make us miserable? No. Because He loves us. Jesus loves us so much that He calls us to lose our lives in order that we might find our lives. We might let go of that which we hold on to in order that we might experience something so much greater. What is so sobering is verse 22, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” This has to be one of the most saddest verses in all of Mark’s gospel. Here is someone who held on to the things this world offers and missed all that Jesus gives.

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, help us to see Your love for us as You call us to die to ourselves.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord help us to see Your great love for us and your commands to die to ourselves. AMEN

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Luke 2:22-35

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