Letting go
by Pastor Jim Strelan
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth (Matthew 16:22).
There’s something about being a disciple of Jesus that is really hard for us to get hold of. We can be faithful, attend worship regularly, pray earnestly and be generous toward others, but the really hard thing is to let go.
To let go means that we are willing to trust God to be true to his word to the point that we can enjoy what we have, but it isn’t everything. If we were to lose it, it wouldn’t be the end of the world for us. God is good. God promises to be there for us, whatever happens. God will provide.
Martin Luther’s explanation of the first article of the Apostles’ Creed – the part that says, ‘I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth’, confesses this clearly. He says that God ‘richly and daily provides [him] with all that [he] need[s]’.
The young man who comes to Jesus is a good man. He is a seeker. He wants to do what pleases God. But when Jesus asks him to let go of the things he holds onto most tightly, that is too hard. It saddens him because he wants what Jesus offers so much, but it is too hard.
Here’s the thing: if you are financially well off, then you have been blessed so that you can be generous. But have you ever wondered how those who have lost everything through famine or war and those who are just downright poor can still acknowledge God’s goodness toward them? Do you remember the story of the rich man and poor Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31)? Lazarus means ‘God has helped’. The rich man helped no-one; the poor man acknowledged God as his help.
It’s hard to imagine how we would survive if we let go of everything. Hard for us but not hard for God (Matthew 16:26). God is true. We can trust him.
Loving God, if my fists are clenched tight, gently prise them open as I adopt an attitude of trust. I put my trust in you. Amen.
Jim Strelan is a retired pastor who lives in Brisbane, Queensland. He has worked in Papua New Guinea, two Lutheran colleges and two suburban congregations, both with schools. He has three children and seven grandchildren and loves them all unconditionally. His passion is to share the gospel in ways that are as clear and simple as possible.
- Click here to read previous devotions.
- We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
- Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.
