Rich Ruler, Real

A few months ago someone encouraged me to ask God to give me some verses concerning being called to serve in Quebec. I stopped in my tracks and laughed because I have many scriptures that were given to me long ago confirming being in Quebec. It's the thing that has always been staring me in the face. The time just wasn't right.

When I left Quebec a few years ago, I wondered why. I was confused and frustrated. I didn't want to be going back home. But now looking back I am so so so thankful for the last 6 years I have spent in BC, because they have been richly blessed.

My time at home has been one of building community, deepening friendships, walking intentionally through grief, growing and learning and the list goes on. And now that I've been in a place where I have put down roots, it is really hard to leave. But I think it is a good thing when leaving a place is hard. If it's easy, that probably means you didn't invest much or that you are running from something.

Anyway, one scripture that God has been putting on my heart over the last few months as He has been preparing me to go is from Mark 10:17-22. It's the story of the rich young ruler.

"And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth." And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

Now I don't share this to say that everyone should sell everything they have. Rather I share it, because what's been spoken to me is the fact that I have my grip on many things other than Christ. And they stop me from being fully free. They hinder me from being able to follow him wholeheartedly.

God's been gently bringing me to a place of loosening my grip. First on my possessions and lifestyle. And now in a way, with my life completely. There's a lot to let go of. And it's hard. Because I'm gripping comfort. I lead a very comfortable life and I'm not okay with that. There were many moments before making my decision that I was dead set against moving across the country. But then God would bring me back to this passage and I would realize that I don't want to walk away from Jesus sorrowful, while tightly gripping what I have here and how I live. I want to open up my tightly clenched fists and skip freely behind him, knowing that in giving up things here, there are even richer things to be gained.