Matthew 19; Mark 10

Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2019,%20mark%2010&version=NIV

What we have to remember when reading the story about the rich man and the kingdom of heaven is that none of us can ever live a perfect sinless life. That’s not how we get to heaven. Also, being poor doesn’t get us in to heaven and being rich doesn’t keep us out of heaven either. God chooses to bless us all with different types and levels of worldly riches for different reasons. He blessed David and Job abundantly in the Old Testament because it pleased Him to be able to bless his children. The problem occurs when we seek riches instead of seeking God.

Worldly riches can hinder our faith in many ways. It is easy to become proud of our riches and the accomplishments that allowed us to earn them, forgetting that they are a blessing from God. We might become greedy and refuse to share our wealth with the poor or neglect to give our tithes back to God. Some become idolaters and worship their riches instead of God. Some get so zealous in attaining their riches that they oppress others or cheat and steal. Riches also provide easy access to vices that can lead to destruction of self or others. If we worship and rely upon our riches, then we are not worshipping and relying on God.

Salvation does not depend on us living a sinless life and it doesn’t require that we live in poverty. It requires that we put our faith in God. Many wealthy individuals love and worship God; and many who are poor, don’t.

The man in the parable had allowed his wealth to become a snare. He was not willing to lay down his riches at Jesus feet and pick up the cross instead. He walked away from Jesus that day with sadness in his heart, but the story didn’t there. Jesus tells the disciples that “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.” Astonished, the disciples ask Him, “Who then shall be saved?” Jesus replies that “with God all things are possible”. That man may have walked away with sadness in his heart, but I imagine that God wasn’t finished with him. God is a God of transformation and He can touch hearts and transform lives. With Him anything is possible – He can easily pass a camel through the eye of a needle and He can easily reveal Himself as worthy of worship to a rich man.

The thing is, if you live in the United States of America, you are most likely wealthy compared to the citizens of most other countries. We must be careful that our wealth does not become a snare. Our salvation is through Christ, not through our riches and not through our works. Take time to thank him for your abundant blessings. Reflect on his amazing grace and his immense power. He is exceedingly worthy of our worship beyond any riches that this world his to offer.

Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe