Check Check

This is a little take-away from a message I heard my son preach today (he filled in for his pastor who is on vacation). For me, it adds a whole new perspective to "a child shall lead them..." 
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Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Mark 10:17-22 NKJV

Obviously, this young ruler had been taught the commandments to follow God. According to him, he'd been practicing them since he was a child. Was he looking for a way to complete his checklist - the one he had designed on his own? 

Search for God. Check.
Learn His commandments. Check.
Implement and follow God's commandments. Check. Check.

Some of us tend to do the same kind of thing. Are we looking to complete our own checklist? 

Go to church. Check.
Read my Bible. Check.
Pay my tithes. Check.
Do good deeds. Check. Check.

How many of us, just like the rich, young ruler in our text for today, would love to see Jesus face to face and have Him tell us exactly what we need to do to get to Heaven?  But then, how many of us would be just like the rich, young ruler, and walk away sad because we're not willing to give up what He's asked us to in order to have eternal life with Christ? Think about that. Search your heart. You know what He's been talking about to you.

Jesus is going to challenge those things in our lives that need to change, and if we don't recognize His touch, His voice, His way, we're going to walk away very sad...and lost.

Challenge. Check. 
Choice. Check. 
Change. Check. Check. 

Prayer:

Father,
           Change our hearts, O God! Make us ever true to Your Word and Your way. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen