Vol. 17 No. 10 | March 10, 2014
A story in the gospels, the “Rich Young Ruler” (Mark 10:17-31) reminds me of a common predicament for many of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus. “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?'”
This young man was apparently considered a really good guy. By his own account he had “kept all the laws” since he was a boy. By our standards we would have welcomed such a man into our fellowship with great joy and enthusiasm. He would be one whom we would consider a great addition to our membership roll. We would likely be just as stunned as were His disciples when Jesus basically says, “You are not ready.”
With one brief challenge the man’s confident countenance falls and he went away sad. The disciples are dumbfounded. “If he can’t make it, who can?”
Jesus responds: “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Here’s the common situation: Like the rich young ruler, I am not in control. In fact, the longer I live the more realize I am in control of very little.
Recently, my wife and I have watched three movies all of which share this theme of not being in control: All Is Lost, The Impossible, and Gravity. One takes place on a damaged boat in the middle of the ocean, one in a tsunami in Thailand, and the third in space. All three portray the main characters in extremely stressful situations over which they have virtually no control. Beyond their own limited resources each one is dependent upon someone or something bigger and beyond themselves for their salvation.
Thus our common plight: we cannot save ourselves. We are not in control. A list of the things we cannot control is much longer than the list of things we can control.
Like the rich young man we can choose to obey all the laws of God and man. We can do all that we can do and hope that our deeds will obligate the Lord to save us. “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
The ability to accept and surrender to the fact that we are not in control may be the key to real and lasting peace. So, let me help you get started. Repeat after me:
Take a deep breath. “I am not in control.”
Take another deep breath. “I am not in control.”
Take another deep breath. “I am not in control.”
Take another deep breath. “I am not in control.”
Take another deep breath. “I am not in control.”
Tom
© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.