Be Relentless Devotion 1

What is Not as Important as Who

In Matthew 19 there is a story of a rich young man that teaches us a lot about being a relentless follower Jesus Christ. He asks Jesus:

Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?

This is today’s equivalent of, “How can I get to heaven when I die?”

And like many of us, this young man was looking for a “to-do” list. He wanted to be able to check off a list of things he could do that would ensure his eternal life. He wanted to be in control, and he wanted to know when he was done with that task.

Jesus doesn’t give him the answer he was looking for, though.

“Why do you ask about what is good? There is only ONE who is good.”

The man wanted to know WHAT to do. Jesus pointed him to a WHO. To God.

“There is only ONE who is good.”

But knowing the man’s heart, Jesus goes on.

“If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

The man asked about eternal life, but Jesus pointed him to life RIGHT NOW. Often, we think our faith is about life after this one, but Jesus wants us to have life now, in the present. And he points us to the best way to have true life is by doing things God’s way.

We often look for WHAT to do, when the point of life now, and eternal life later, is a WHO. If we diligently see the WHO, we will know WHAT to do.

Ask Yourself: Which commandments, what words of scripture do you want to “take a pass on?” Which do you skim over quickly because they hit too close to home, or go against what your natural impulse wants to do? Which have you tried to explain away due to “context” that you know in your heart, you are really running away from because you just don’t want to do them?

Take time to confess. How are you like the rich young man? Are you also looking for a list complete instead of a God to follow?

After confessing read: 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 8:1-2 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Thank God for his forgiveness and acknowledge that you are not under condemnation. Take the next step into freedom and go Be Relentless!