Thursday, December 15, 2022

 

Thursday, December 15, 2022


Psalm 9

Isaiah 15

Mark 10:17-31


Observance: Third Thursday in Advent


Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.”


Here we are, about the half-way point of Advent, well and truly into our spiritual detox routine. Hopefully we have all discovered more places where God is shining into our lives, and that some of the dirt and muck that has been picked up under our feet during this pilgrimage has been wiped away. This pursuit towards holiness is a beautiful journey, difficult but rewarding, and commended all throughout scripture as the highest calling open to human beings.


But let’s not be dismayed by the difficulties that can hide the beauty and reward. Relying on our own effort to get back to God is the story of failure, told in two parts. One part is the fact that self-reliance can become pride. Are we at risk of becoming confused at the source of our success, and patting ourselves on the back and stealing God’s glory?


The other part is that self-reliance can lead to discouragement and disappointment. Because of the fact that holiness only comes from complete dependence on the movement of God, our own efforts will fail. Having been trained by society since birth to work to succeed under our own merit, giving up control like this can seem not like a win, but a loss.


In today’s reading, Jesus demonstrates beautifully again how He is the world’s worst self-help guru. A man, surely dedicated to pleasing God, asks the Messiah what he must do to enter the kingdom. Jesus’ initial response is to remove the floor under this man’s feet. His entire world view is destroyed by a simple sentence from Jesus.


None of us are “good”. None of us can make ourselves “good”. All of us need the Saviour, the God-Man, Jesus Christ. We gain God’s favour, and proceed down the path of holiness, by surrendering completely to Him. We keep nothing for ourselves, nor do we hold anything our own. Jesus does not ask this of us from a place of stern displeasure; note His attitude towards the young rich man: He looked at him, and loved him.


The Lord God wants to pour out His blessings upon His creation. And He wants to do this through us. So long as we are dedicated to Him, to loving Him and holding Him above all other desires, we will see this happen in our lives. Relax, and rejoice: God is the One who is good, He will look after us.



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