Today's Devotional

September 24, 2004

Subject:  Uh I'll Just Take The Good Stuff 

Mark 10:29-30 - "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."

It reminds me of the game we used to play as children, "one of these things is not like the other..."  That's how Christ makes it sound when He responds to Peter as Peter tells Him that, "we have left all to follow thee."  I think there's an important message for those who may be "trying" to live for God and seem to face many struggles.

Christ says that you may have left family and riches (lands) for my sake but that you will receive an hundredfold in this time those same things.  However, He also adds, "with persecutions."  That's the part we have a hard time with.  We'll take all of the good stuff but leave out the persecution and struggles that we have for following Christ.  

The final answer to all of this is how it ends.  Yes we do get persecutions along with all of the good, but in the world to come, we really win big.  We get eternal life. 

 Carlen