Mark 10

Is anyone else hearing a message loud and clear from the Lord through Mark the last two days? This is probably more apparent to me because we had our Radical Renovation Workcrew last night and focused on this subject, but three times in the last two chapters Jesus has said, "The first shall be last and the last shall be first." Jesus is turning upside down our view of being great. He really wants to get across to us that until we make that shift in our hearts, minds, and actions we will not fully know what it means to be great in the kingdom of God.
I was also reminded in this chapter about the way to salvation. Jesus says it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to be saved. I have been guilty of making that a metaphor instead of being literal because I don't want salvation to be difficult.
However, as I read it this morning I saw in my mind's eye someone trying to push a camel through the eye of a needle and realized how often we do try to push our way into heaven. In our minds we have to work to get to heaven, it takes effort for us to get there. That is a lie. Salvation is a gift given by the grace of God. We can keep pushing at that camel, but it will not go through the eye of a needle by our efforts because that is not the way to heaven. Jesus says all things are possible with God and that is where salvation comes from. It doesn't come from our efforts. It comes when we give up trying to be good enough, smart enough or holy enough, and just accept the gift. Thank God it is a gift because Jesus did something none of us could do in going to the cross to cover our sins. He paid the price to offer the gift and we just need to accept it.

Please comment back to me if you have thoughts or questions I know some have tried but they have not come through. Be sure to type the security code in the wierd looking letters and then pick an identity. Pick anonymous if you don't want to input anything else.