What Jesus Did! 'So Hard' — Mark 10:23-25

Saturday, July 20, 2024

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Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!" This amazed them. But Jesus said again, "Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, 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!"
— Mark 10:23-25 NLT

Key Thought

The disciples were shocked! They had taken in the things they had seen and heard in Jesus' interchange with the young man who went away sorrowfully. [1] Being on the poorer end of the economic scale, they assumed that the richer folks would have a better chance of making it into heaven. Jesus told them that the exact opposite is true: it is very hard for those who are rich to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus' words should be a sober warning to us. Most of us with access to a computer or mobile device and the internet are so much better off financially than the majority of the world's population. Unfortunately, we often focus on what we lack rather than what God has given us to use to bless others and honor him. We must not let ourselves be possessed by our possessions and our desire for them. They turn our hearts away from God and become idols which replace God in our lives.

[1] Mark 10:17-22.

Today's Prayer

O Father, bless me with wisdom, generosity, and a passion for your work as I seek to use "my" financial and material blessings to honor you and to bring others closer to you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • 1 Timothy 6:6-10
  • 1 Timothy 6:17-19
  • Luke 16:13

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Illustration

Illustration of Mark 10:23-25 NLT — "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!"

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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