IS IT THE END OR THE BEGINNING?

Two men met for prayer early one morning. After reading a passage of Scripture, they knelt in prayer. Said the first, “Lord, it’s hard for me to pray. You know that I am at the end of all my resources. I have nothing left. I am totally broken in mind, heart, and spirit!”

Upon hearing his brokenness, his prayer partner put his arm around his shoulder and shouted, “How wonderful! Now you are at the beginning of God’s resources.”

Mark’s Gospel has an exciting story about a ruler and his resources. It reminds us of the importance and necessity of eternal values rather than earthly riches.

Jesus, in speaking of the emphasis we place on money, said, “People with wealth will have a difficult time in getting into heaven.” Astonished, one of his disciples asked, “Well, if money won’t get us into heaven, what will?”

Calmly He replied, “Humanly speaking, getting into heaven on your own is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

Material possessions and our desire to acquire them tend to fix our hearts on the things of this world. When this happens, we lose sight of what is truly valuable: our relationship with God. He becomes unimportant.

For many, it is easier to pass the test of adversity than the test of prosperity. Prosperity places the focus on ourselves, while adversity proves our need for God.

Prayer:  Help us to realize, Lord, that unless we place our trust in You and the redeeming love of God, we lose sight of what is important! May we seek Your “way.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today:  Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26