Daily Devotional
Do You Have Life?

September 14, 2020

Ponder This

This young man seemed to have it all:

• Youth and enthusiasm—he came running to Jesus.
• Humility—he publicly kneeled before Jesus.
• Discernment—he recognized Jesus was no ordinary man.
• Position—he was a ruler, according to Luke 18:18.
• Morally upright—all his life he had kept the commandments.

But he didn't have Life.

Jesus got below the surface when He asked him to do two things. “Sell all you have and give to the poor, and come follow Me.” How he responded exposed the hidden loyalties of his heart. His commandment-keeping was only outward. He walked away grieving.

All the commandments are summed up in loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27). By turning away, the young man revealed he had broken all the commandments because these two summarized “all the law and the prophets.”

Practice This

This man had another god in his life. Do you? Or is Christ your undisputed Lord with no rivals? Pray: “Jesus, I recognize that I cannot be saved by keeping commandments. I will have no other god before me, and I come to You and yield my life, my heart, my soul, my all—forever.”