Hanging on

WHAT DO I HAVE TO GIVE UP?

Rich young ruler.

One time, a man who was highly favored in the community came to Jesus to learn about this "eternal life."

"What must I do?" he  asked.

Jesus pointed out some commandments  that he knew the guy had kept.

The young man was already feeling pretty good about himself. People had probably told him that he ought to go see Jesus, that he would really be someone  that Jesus could use. That he was such a good guy.

With Jesus' first list, he checked them off, one by one. He thought, "I've got this. I have earned this."

Jesus looked at Him with a deep, deep love.

Jesus saw the one thing in his life that would always interfere with his devotion to the One who carried the LIFE.
The one thing that would constantly interrupt the communication that would come to him if he were following the One.
The one part of his life that would always pull him away.
Away from that meaningful conversation.
Away from that time of understanding.
Away from that trust in the only way to Life, the only way to Joy.
That one need that he had that could override any "command" from the Giver of LIFE.

"If you love me, you will obey me."

He couldn't give up this one thing, because it was his everything.

It was who he was.

It was the one thing that he didn't think he could live without.

He was important.

Who would he be without it?

Nobody.

He couldn't give it up.

The trust was not there.

What about you?

What are you hanging onto that you just can't live without?
The one thing that keeps pulling you away from the One that will fill you with Joy, with Life that has no bounds.

The one thing that you just can't believe that you can live without?