Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Mark 10:17 introduces one of the more familiar stories in the Gospels (it is found also in Matthew and in Luke): “And when He was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’” This “young man” (Matthew 19:20) “came” to consult Jesus, but it was actually Jesus Who came to him first. In the glory of His Incarnation, Jesus was on this earth such that this man could come running. Our Lord always has priority in any encounter. He went “forth into the way” for His definitive purposes, including meeting this wealthy “ruler” (Luke 18:18); He placed Himself in this man’s path. It was not a chance meeting; with God, it never is. Even before this face-to-face conversation, our Savior God was drawing this needy man – yes, he was wealthy and needy – to Himself: “No man can come to Me, except the Father [Who] hath sent Me draw him” (John 6:44a). If you are a Christian through a personal faith in and relationship with Jesus, you know that it is not a coincidence that you have inherited eternal life: salvation is a mighty work of God alone. If you are not a Christian, it is no coincidence that you are reading this brief devotional that assures you that God is drawing you and calling you to Himself. May each of us marvel at the thorough intensity of His interest in us, and may each of us be certain that our trust is solely in Jesus for His everlasting salvation of our souls.