All For Jesus

^{Mk 10: 38-31}

^{The Last Shall Be First}

²⁸ Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

²⁹ So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, ³⁰ who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

We can imagine a bit of frustration and anguish in Peter's "What's in it for us,?" declaration, even if he was just stating a fact.  Jesus picked up on it and assured him that the reward would be greater than the relinquishment of family and job. In setting Peter straight, Jesus also encourages us to leave behind even those things we cherish the most in order to give him free and total service.  Our roots into family, fortune, friends and "my way" are tough to cut and constantly entwine us in things that in the long run don't really matter.  What really does matter is a deep love of and dedication to Jesus, even when it demands giving up what we treasure most, and for us, that's our own wills, desires and plans. Frank Sinatra's "I Did It My Way" is not the way to go to Jesus.  ALL must be his if we are to be among those in first place with him... Not easy..the work of a lifetime, but nothing here can top it.

Bro. Rene