Hold On To Things Lightly…

One of my favorite stories Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells is when Corrie Ten Boom used to attend his church in California. She was a Dutch Christian during WWII. Her family helped rescue Jews, until they were caught, some killed, and sent off to Nazi concentration camps. I believe she was the only survivor of her entire family. One day Swindoll preached on Heaven and when it was over Corrie came up to him and said, “Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.” This goes right along with my favorite scripture verse, Matthew 6:21; “ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” When we treasure the affections of this world over our eternal duty, we lose sight of the prize that awaits us. When we put ourselves before others, in pursuit of selfish gain, we lose the power God gives us to help and share love that transforms lives. The rich young ruler went away sad because he knew his love was more for his things than it was for God. Peter wanted assurance that the sacrifices the disciples made by following Christ weren’t in vain. Jesus rewarded him with the vivid promise of a “hundred times return and eternal life” would greet him after he passed through death’s door. All that we do here for God, because of God, from a sincere and humble heart, will be rewarded in the life to come. And best yet, we will be with Jesus, the Author and Sustainer of life. So with this in mind, hold onto things lightly, proving your affections are on eternal things, and not on this transient world.

Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”17 “Why ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question–if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”18 “Which ones?” the man asked.And Jesus replied: “ ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’”20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again–it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”27 Then Peter said to Him, “We’ve given up everything to follow You. What will we get?”28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon His glorious throne, you who have been My followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for My sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. Matthew 19:16-30