Out giving God

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

OUT GIVING GOD

Luke 18:28-30

28 Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" 29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God   30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life." 

NIV

We are still in the same conversation that ended with the rich ruler being sad about giving his wealth away in order to inherit eternal life and those who heard Jesus say that  it is was harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom than a camel to pass through the eye of the needle. When they ask who then could be saved, and he answered what is impossible for man is possible with God, things got a little tense with the disciples. Peter is the one, of course that speaks up and here is what he said. Look, Lord we are not like that rich ruler, we have left all we had behind to follow you, and we did the impossible, what more do you want? At least that is sort of his point.  Jesus reassures them it will be worth far more than anything they left behind in order to follow him. Here is the truth of it all. First we will inherit eternal life and in all reality that is all we really need. What more could we possibly want? In comparison to eternal life there has to be eternal death. But the somewhat puzzling statement of Jesus is about receiving many times as much in this age. The eternal life in the age to come is no problem, but this age has to refer to the lifespan of our being his disciple. When we forsake all to follow Jesus he has assured us he will make sure we receive many times as much as we left behind while we are alive here. What does that look like? First we have to leave something, home or wife, or brother or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God. How do we do that, when they are believers as well? Jesus must have meant that when we accept him as our Savior there is going to be some conflict within a family structure. Some of the family is not going to see the truth as we do and conflict will happen. We need to stick to our convictions about the truth which has been revealed to us by the Spirit. There may be a time when the family refuses to accept the truth and simply discounts us as being a part of the family, calling us nuts or crazy or maybe just misguided. In some cultures the family disowns a member who becomes a believer. Perhaps within the context, Jesus is not promising riches because we left family behind in order to follow him, but rather he is promising we will gain a far better family, the family of God. We are now part of the family of God, we have the right to be called the children of God, co-heirs with Jesus. He could also be referring to the fact that we have brothers and sisters in Christ who will accept us as family and love as for who we are, a believer in Christ. Of course Jesus could also have meant he would make sure we had all our physical needs as well, considering that his other teachings about seeking first the kingdom of God and all these things, those things the pagans run after, stuff, material goods, will be added unto us as well. Perhaps Jesus was making reference to both. Either way we can be assured first and foremost we have eternal life, and second we will not go without what we need in this life. Following Jesus has a cost, but we can never out give God.