ONE THING YOU LACK

A story is recorded in three of the Gospels in which a man came to Jesus and asked Him, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16).  To this man, the question was all about doing good things to obtain salvation.  He was obviously very proficient at doing good things already because, when Jesus told Him to keep the commandments, and spelled them out for him, this man said that he had kept them all since he was a child.  For all his good works, however, he still was in doubt about the condition of his soul.

 

Many folks today have placed their hopes for Eternity in the quality and quantity of “good things” that they have done in their lives.  Sadly, many who confess Christianity fall into the same trap.  They have been churched all their lives, and tried to keep the commandments, and perhaps been quite successful, and yet they feel an emptiness in their soul.  They know in their hearts that there is something more that they are not experiencing of God, and they yearn to secure what they are missing; but don’t know what it is, or how to find it.

 

Jesus said to the man, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”  It may have been encouraging to the man to hear that it was only one thing that he lacked.  After all the other things that he had done, what was one more thing if it would guarantee his salvation?  What Jesus revealed, though, was just too much!  To sell all he had and go off with this man was unrealistic.  After all, he was very wealthy.  The man was very grieved at hearing Jesus’ words, and he turned and walked away.  Despite his desire for salvation, and all his efforts to lead a good life, he could not give the one thing that Christ required.

 

In the end, it is all about surrendering oneself fully to the will of God.  We are often prepared to sacrifice many things to be “good,” but we sink our heels in when it comes down to that one thing that the Lord really requires of us.  You see, God knows the things that own us.  He sees the things that rule our lives, and He is jealous.  He is jealous because He knows that our heart will be divided if we try to serve more than one Master.  This man’s wealth was his god.  For all his apparent desire to be right, and all his good words, he was willing to walk away from the Lord when it came down to choosing between God and his riches.  The Lord was not asking anything more or less from this man than He had asked of His other disciples.  They each had forsaken all and taken up their crosses to follow Jesus.

 

Good works will never get us one step closer to heaven.  We may go to church from the time we are born and lead pretty good lives - giving our time and our money to help others – and yet never see that it is about giving ourselves (all we are, and all we have) to the Lord.  Salvation is more about whom we will serve, than what we will do.  Scripture tells us that Jesus loved this man.  He recognized in him a yearning heart, but the Lord must have been greatly saddened by the grasp that his possessions had over him.

 

I believe that, as Christians, the Lord sheds His light on things in our lives that we may place too much importance on and then asks us to make a choice.  It may be a habit, a pastime, a hobby, a lust, an attitude, or a possession; but it is always something that is hindering our spirituality and our relationship with Him.  It is always that one thing that we lack that God is interested in.  It’s not so much about the thing itself, as it is about the control it has over us.  We can respond to what the Lord requires and find that what He replaces it with is infinitely better; or we can become grieved and turn away from Him when He invades our secret sanctuary.  God is looking for disciples, and nothing less.  By His grace we can fulfill that calling and find the peace and joy that comes with believing and knowing the Savior.  We are in boot camp and must learn to respond to the voice of our Master and Commander lest we be slain in the field of battle; for, indeed, we are in a war.  Let’s not be lacking in anything that would hinder our closeness to the tender Shepherd of our souls.

 

Dear Reader, what are the things that are lacking in your life?  Those things that you know the Lord is asking you to surrender to Him.  Like the man who tries to run a marathon carrying many heavy weights with him, your sins will hinder you from finishing the race that God has called you to run.  Isn’t it time to cast aside every weight of sin and believe the Savior, Jesus Christ, for the freedom that He has purchased for you on Calvary’s cross?  Come to Him now, whether you are someone who has avoided Him all your life, or you have known the Lord and just not been willing to let Him have every area of your life.  He will pardon you, and He will empower you, to walk with Him through the highs and lows of your life.

 

“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:4 ESV).