"The next time I see you, you will be one."
The gracious and wise elderly woman had leaned back into the car to
leave us with this promise. Dick and I
had spent the day with her during our engagement. She was right, even though we broke a few
"rules" but that's a story for another blog. This week we will have
been married for 41 years and becoming more
alike than ever. The becoming one is
both instantaneous and a process!
When I started reading Chapter 10 in the Gospel of Mark, I
remembered her proclamation after considering Jesus' response to the disciples'
query. The Pharisees had shown up at
Jesus' teaching session to test Him with His position on divorce. Jesus included in His response that the two married
individuals are no longer two but one.
The Pharisees remind me of our world today. Too often our faith is confused by
controversial or complicated situations.
We become distracted and afraid (because some of our controversies today
are very scary). We have a thirst for
being on the Right Side. We think the
rules and laws will protect us. I
continued reading in Chapter 10 to get some guidance on how to surf the world's
controversies.
When people brought little children to Jesus, the disciples
rebuked them. Apparently these people
had violated some arbitrary rule. Jesus
rebuked His disciples and proclaimed, "Let the little children come to Me
and do not hinder them for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." He explains that we each must have faith just
like these little ones. He even took
them in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them (My favorite part).
Then a man approached Him and asked Jesus what he must do to
inherit eternal life. Jesus reminded the
man that the law had listed the don'ts.
The commandments were plain.
Don't murder, commit adultery, steal, give false testimony, defraud or
dishonor parents. The man responded that
he had kept these rules since he was a boy.
Jesus looked at the man and loved him. (My favorite part.) "One
thing you lack, Go, sell everything, give it to the poor and you will have
treasure in Heaven. Come. Follow Me."
The man was devastated and went away because He had great
wealth.
Jesus commented that it is hard for the rich to enter the
Kingdom of God. It's easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle. The disciples asked then who can be
saved. Jesus reminded them that what is
impossible for men is totally possible with God. "Many who are first will be last and the
last first."
These verses give me another definition of rich because
these verses present our obstacles to completely following God. Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees and the
rich man what the Law states and then He offered them the better way, The ONE
Way.
We have such a thirst for a structured world that we create
rules and laws to demonstrate our
worth. These verses made me ponder RICH-
R eally
I nto
C reating the
world for
H erself/Himself
The RICH life is challenged by changing circumstances and complicated
controversies that we have to make new rules and take new stances. My rules will only offer me limited
protection.
Yet Jesus offers the simple life centered on ONE - one way,
His way, following Him. His Way will give me the most assurance of worth and
protection. It's not about being right
but following The Right One.
O nly
N eed
E lohim- The One
and Only God to follow
The end result of the RICH life is accumulation of the
temporary. The end result of the ONE
life is everlasting life in the eternal Kingdom with God. Becoming one with
God's Way is both instantaneous and a process.
So today I'm going to live simple and come to Jesus, like those
little ones brought to Him. He'll take me in His arms, put His Hand on me and
give me His blessing. He will protect me
an give me worth. What else can be more important?
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