Just when you thought Jesus was your Lord, He shows you areas of your life you haven’t made Him Lord over.
WHAT I’M WEARING:
Bag: Coach ; Sandals: Target (try this) ; Dress: Highlowluxxe x Amazon
This Christian walk, eh. Never ending. Never getting to a destination (at least on earth). Always journeying. Always learning and unlearning.
If you’re not careful to understand the purpose of this walk, you will find yourself in constant frustration. You’ll feel inadequate and uncomfortable with the continuous seasons of stretching. But I believe the goal God has for His children is holiness. And I also believe God will not stop until we become just as He is- HOLY. Now in a wicked and perverse world, that may not always seem possible. While being surrounded by everything that goes against the holiness of God- idolatry, covetousness, perversion, evil desires, wickedness, murder, drugs, alcoholism,- it can seem like God is demanding the impossible by demanding us to be holy.
And you’re right. Holiness is impossible. Holiness is most certainly impossible if we try to do it by ourselves. Holiness is impossible if we use our human intellect, our human efforts, and our human understanding. Holiness is impossible for the person operating in carnality. But holiness is not altogether impossible. Holiness is more than possible with God. And that is the beauty about the God we serve. His expectations and demands of us are always impossible without Him. He made it that way so that we would always be dependent on His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to achieve what He wants us to achieve- perfection.
The bible talks about a rich young man who was very ambitious in nature. It’s obvious from the story that this man is ambitious because of the question he asked Jesus. In Matthew 19 starting from verse 16, the rich man asks Jesus what he needed to do to have eternal life.
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
You should take notice that Jesus answers a question the man never asked the second time around: “if you want to be perfect.” The rich young man never asked Jesus what he needed to do to be perfect; he only asked what he needed to do to have eternal life. But the reason why Jesus needed to answer this question that wasn’t asked is because the goal God has for His children is perfection, not just salvation. Perfection here means maturity and completion. God wants us to be mature and complete in every area of our life. Because it is not enough for us to just be saved. Being saved is only step one.
This is the reason why life will never give us a break or allow us to reach a destination until we take our last breath. Because the goal is maturity in Christ; not only arrival in Christ. Now Jesus’ response left the rich man very sorrowful because the Bible tells us the man owned great possessions. He was willing to do everything he needed to gain salvation, but he wasn’t willing to be holy as God is holy.
And I’m sure Jesus knew this rich young man found his security, happiness and identity in his possessions; and that’s why he was required to give it up. You see, it’s not about God being this tyrant who wants us to live in misery and without good things. It’s about God needing to be the only God in our lives. And anything that threatens to take the place of God in our lives must be given up/sacrificed.
So today I want you to ask yourself- what areas of your life are unsubmitted to Christ? Sure you have accepted Jesus as Savior (I hope) and yes maybe He is Lord in some areas of your life- but what about the others? Have you submitted your emotions, your character, your desires, your appearance, your possessions and your money to God as well? This may seem like an impossible requirement of God. And you are right, it is impossible…alone.
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19: 26
