Mark 10:23-27 All things are possible for God
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: March 8, 2018, Mark 10:23-27
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. Then he told him, “You’re missing one thing. Go and sell everything you own, give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.” Shocked at this statement, the man went away sad, because he had many possessions. Then Jesus looked around and told his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were startled by these words, but Jesus told them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in their wealth to get into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God.” The disciples were utterly amazed and asked one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them intently and said, “For humans it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
(Understanding the Text) Why was the young man so shocked? Had he never thought of being poor before? He came to Jesus hoping that Jesus could fill the emptiness, and he left Jesus thinking that Jesus wanted him to empty himself in unacceptable ways. The young man could not bring himself to even consider giving up his wealth. His wealth was his security and his identity. He could not imagine himself as valuable without the money and the prestige that went with it. This demonstrates that he probably held the poor in contempt. He felt that Jesus was asking him to become a lower order of humanity. He judged by outward appearances from keeping the law to valuing human beings. Unless he could experience life without his money, he would never be able to see deeper.
(Revelation of God / Understanding the Text) Jesus loved him. Jesus longed to bring him closer. I think that Jesus began thinking of all the wealthy men that He loved but He could not draw because of their attachment to worldly possessions, worldly reputation, and worldly ways. He shared His thoughts with the disciples by saying how hard it was for rich men to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples would have been thinking of a worldly kingdom like David and Solomon who were wealthy. Jesus was thinking of the spiritual kingdom that connects every believer to God. He was seeing how hard it was for a rich person to trust God more than money. He was seeing how hard it was for a rich person to have the humility necessary to follow God wherever He leads. He saw how riches brought pride, arrogance, contempt for others, and a disconnect from those in need. He saw how riches isolated a man from humanity. He saw how riches became security so that the rich man did not see how truly needy he was.
The disciples had the idea which is still prevalent in the Middle East today-Wealth is a sign of God’s blessing. Wealth is to be respected. They thought of themselves as lower than rich men. However, Jesus came to change that way of thinking. Jesus told people that the poor were blessed. Jesus said that servants were the leaders of heaven. This was one more time where Jesus was rearranging their understanding of the world. He was trying to get them to see the world through God’s eyes. God is so rich that even the richest man is poor by comparison. God sees that true wealth will only come to us through connection to Him, the Creator who can make worlds with a word. Our idea of wealth is limited and based on accumulating things and money for no better reason than to know that we have them when we want them. God wants us to understand that He will provide what we need when we need it, but that material possessions and money have no real value. True treasure is trusting God and knowing that He loves us and will provide for us.
(Application) This passage has another clue that this is an eyewitness account. It says that Jesus looked at them intently. I wonder what that felt like to see Jesus focused on you and looking intently at you. Jesus was trying to make them feel the importance of what He was telling them. Humans cannot get into the kingdom of heaven because we are sinful and rebellious to our core, but God can live in us and transform us so that we are part of the kingdom of heaven. We are crippled and cannot reach the heights by ourselves, but we can trust God to heal us and work in us and carry us when needed. We can trust God with our security.
(Prayer) I pray to trust you to take care of me in all situations at all times. Help me when I am afraid, and I know from past experience that the events of the coming day will seem like torture to me. Please be with me and comfort me. Bring me through my trials stronger in faith and able to be courageous to face any other events that may come. Help me to never rely on my self or my riches or my own strength. Teach me to look to You for riches and security and hope rather than worldly goods and positions.