July 6

From: Continual Burnt Offering: Daily Meditations

Mark 10:22

“And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions”— Mark 10:22²²And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:22).

NO more searching incident than this is found in the four Gospels, unless it be the Lord’s interview with Nicodemus, as recorded in John 3. Surely, no honest person can contemplate it without facing the question. On what do I base my hope of eternal life? If on self-effort, I build on sinking sand. If on Christ alone, my confidence is founded upon an unshakeable rock.

But I must be sure that my professed faith in Him is not a mere intellectual acceptance of, certain historic facts. To believe in Him is to commit myself to Him. This necessarily involves my recognition of His Lordship. He who died to save me is now to have authority over my life.

Anything short of this is but an empty profession. Let me then face the matter honestly and never be satisfied until I know beyond a doubt that I have yielded to the claims of the Lord Jesus.

The rich young man was of charming disposition and pleasant personality, but he was devoid of divine life, which is the result of new birth (John 3:3³Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)). There is a vast difference between the attractiveness of what is merely natural and the beauty of character that is spiritual in its origin. No human effort can ever change flesh into spirit. Therefore the need of the impartation of life from above, which comes through faith in Christ (John 3:6, 7, 14-16⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:6‑7)
¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: ¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:14‑16)).

“What will you do without Him

When the great White Throne is set,

And the Judge, who never can mistake

And never will forget, —

The Judge whom you have never here

As Friend and Saviour sought,

Shall summon you to give account

Of word and deed and thought?”

—F. R. Havergal.

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