SECRET IDOLS

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  (Mark 10:21-22 NKJV)

How meaning there are who know in their hearts what their duty is, but fail to do it because they are hiding some forbidden thing; they refuse to launch on the current sweeping past them, because they are secretly anchored to a sandbank; they go from one teacher to another, with an appearance of earnest inquiry after eternal life, which never comes to anything, because they are unwilling to renounce their secret idol.

In the case of this young man, it was the love of money. "He had great possessions." There is no harm in money, it is one of God's gifts to men, but it is hard to own it without coming to look upon it as one's own, instead of realizing that we are stewards only. It was for this reason that our Lord proposed this supreme test. St. Francis of Assisi thought that these words applied universally, and founded the Order of the Franciscans, pledged to poverty. But it seems more in harmony with the spirit of the gospel to believe that it was a special test put to this seeker after truth, to reveal him to himself.

The law of love is not negative only but positive. The most essential condition for each of us is to be willing, like another young man who was living at that time, "to count all things but loss, in order to win Christ and to be found in Him" (Philippians 3:8). If you would follow Christ and are prepared for love's sake to surrender all, you will probably be entrusted with manifold more, because Christ knows that He can make you His giver with no fear of gold dust adhering to your palm in its transmission.

Let's guard against the idol of money or possessions. Riches which open most doors, will not furnish a pass key to heaven. Let's see to it that we always act as stewards of God's property, but this is not possible unless we are living perpetually in fellowship with our Master, who though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich, and who says to us also, "Come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

PRAYER

The dearest idol I have known, whatever that idol be, help me to tear it from Your throne, And worship only You. I pray in Jesus' name, AMEN.

God's Daily Promise

Promise #255:
Before you even call out to Me, I will answer you.

Isaiah 65:24 (WEB)
It will happen that, before they call, I will answer;
    and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.