Yet Lackest Thou One Thing

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me (Luke 18:22 KJV)

A devoted Jewish man met Jesus one day and asked Him, “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18, KJV). Jesus responded and told him to keep the Law. The man said he had kept the Law from his childhood. He was certainly not lying to Jesus. It tells us the kind of man he was, a devoted Jew. Jesus said unto Him “ yet lackest thou one thing.” What “one thing” was that?

Jesus told him to sell everything he had, give it to the poor and come and follow Him. This commandment was not part of the Law. Jesus was revealing to this man the insufficiency of the Law. It required that a man obey every command from God. The fact that someone kept the limited commands God had given them did not mean their hearts were completely yielded to Him. Jesus demonstrated to the man that the one thing the Law required was still missing in his life. He was not completely obedient to God. Despite his rigorous obedience to what was written, he still lacked the “one thing”.

It amazing how this same pattern continues to play out when we put our confidence in ourselves. There is always going to be “one thing” that we lack, or “one more thing” if we keep our eyes on our own abilities. Grace has made you sufficient and complete in Christ. You lack nothing in Christ. It is from this foundation that you live for God and serve Him in grace. Keep your eyes on your Savior.

MEDITATE

Say these words aloud and mutter them until they sink into your spirit: “I am complete in Christ” ( Col. 2:10).

APPLY THE WORD

Our sufficiency is of God. Let this be your mindset. The moment you think something is lacking which you have to fill up, religion will take over you and mar your relationship with God. He says you are complete in Him. Trust Him on that.