Luther Seminary from Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotional" for Thursday, 8 October 2015 - Scripture: Mark 10:17-31

Luther Seminary from Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotional" for Thursday, 8 October 2015 - Scripture: Mark 10:17-31

Mark 10:17 As he was starting on his way, a man ran up, kneeled down in front of him and asked, “Good rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?” 18 Yeshua said to him, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good except God! 19 You know the mitzvot — ‘Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t give false testimony, don’t defraud, honor your father and mother, . . .’”[Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:12–13(16); Deuteronomy 5:16–17(20)] 20 “Rabbi,” he said, “I have kept all these since I was a boy.” 21 Yeshua, looking at him, felt love for him and said to him, “You’re missing one thing. Go, sell whatever you own, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!” 22 Shocked by this word, he went away sad; because he was a wealthy man.

23 Yeshua looked around and said to his talmidim, “How hard it is going to be for people with wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 The talmidim were astounded at these words; but Yeshua said to them again, “My friends, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 It’s easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” 26 They were utterly amazed and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Yeshua looked at them and said, “Humanly, it is impossible, but not with God; with God, everything is possible.” 28 Kefa began saying to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Yeshua said, “Yes! I tell you that there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, 30 who will not receive a hundred times over, now, in the ‘olam hazeh, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and lands — with persecutions! — and in the ‘olam haba, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first!”[Complete Jewish Bible]

I can scarcely imagine being a child who is compelled to begin living as a blended family. Perhaps it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a child to enter into the realm of the authority of a new parent. It seems that is part of the problem for our rich young person in Mark's story. He has almost everything, but in the end he has very little interest in entering into the realm of someone else's authority and, in being there, in finding complete life within this new relationship.
As disciples of the risen Christ, we are invited to enter into God's kingdom, to live in new life under the realm of God's authority and power. This is a realm in which all things are possible!! Really? All things are possible? Now that's scary. Maybe scary like a child entering into the authority of a new parent. "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it" (Mark 10:15).
Lord of all possibilities and beyond, I'm scared and in awe. Praise to You. Amen.
Dan Valasakos
Mount Zion Lutheran Church, Tucson, Ariz.
Master of Divinity, 1996
Mark 10:17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
19 You know the commandments: "You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.' "
20 He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth."
21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"
24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"
27 Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."
28 Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."
29 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,
30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first." [New Revised Standard Version]
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