The Daily Word: Friday, January 29th, 2021
Exodus 8:1-9:35
Matthew 19:13-30
Psalm 24:1-10
Proverbs 6:1-5
For full text click here.
Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” – Matt. 19:20
The rich young ruler’s response betrays his arrogance. There was no way this young man had kept Levitical law from his youth! Had he never told a lie? Had he never allowed anything (money!) to obstruct his relationship with God? Had he never coveted his neighbor’s stuff, or violated the Sabbath?
Of course he had. The young man was guilty! He had failed in keeping the law. But he pretended he was innocent. He tried to convince Jesus that he had been on perfect behavior for his entire life! So Jesus asked the rich young ruler to give up the one thing that had really become his god: “Go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and…come, follow Me.”
God has a right to enforce the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). Whenever you cling to something or someone else in your life more tightly than you cling to God, He has the right to ask you to give it up! You cannot trick Him into believing you love Him more than you actually do. It’s time to drop the act. Give up your idols, and lay your life down to worship Jesus! And as you do, you will be “perfect…and you will have treasure in heaven” (v 21).
Prayer:
Father, I will give it all up for You! Whatever You want, and whenever You want it: it’s Yours. I give my life to You, in Jesus’ name! I will have no other gods before You. Come and have Your way, in Jesus’ name.
© Michael D. White, 2021. All rights reserved.