.....::::: WHAT IS IT YOU LACK? WHAT IS THAT ONE THING? :::::.....

Personal experience is a great testimony. At one point in time, not too long ago, I dated this girl for almost three years. We had an "on-off" relationship. Our relationship was not the healthiest of relationships either. We did things we should not have. We really did love each other though. But that's not the point. Towards the end of our relationship, I really tried to take my relationship with God to the next level. But I was still attached and was a slave to my emotions and feelings for her.

Now, if I may, I wanna compare this to when Jesus spoke to the rich young man. The young man wanted to be sure he would get eternal life, so he asked what he could do. He said he had kept all of the laws Jesus mentioned and even the additional regulations of the Pharisees. But Jesus lovingly broke through the young man's pride with a challenge that brought out his true motives: "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor." It exposed the one thing that could keep him out of the kingdom: his love for money. Ironically, this made him unable to keep the first commandment, to let nothing be more important than God. The rich young man came to Jesus wondering what he could do; he left seeing what he was unable to do.

Where I am comparing my story with this one is cause I too wanted and asked what I could do to get to that place with Jesus and I believed I had done everything. I thought that I had done everything that He asked, I too thought I was righteous in my own eyes but in reality I refused to give up that ONE thing that I held me back from moving forward with Christ: my love for her. Turns out it was more of an obsession. I placed her above God for a very long time. This story shows us that we must not let anything we have or desire keep us from truly following Jesus. We must remove all barriers to serve Him truthfully. What about you? Do you, like I did, refuse to ask God for help? Or do you keep telling yourself that you have done everything He has asked? What keeps you from complete devotion to The Creator? What if Jesus asked you to give up the thing or like in my case, person you hold most dear? Your reaction may show whether this thing is your master or not...Think about it...

Mark 10:17-22 "As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth."

(Devotions/ Devotionals)