Lenten Reflection for Day 27
Date: March 23, 2012
Author: Elaine Day
Bible Passage: Mark 10:27–30 (NRSV)
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
Reflection:
The above passage occurs right after a rich man asks Jesus what he must do to receive eternal life. The man has followed the commandments but Jesus tells him that he must sell all that he has and give the money to the poor. The very rich man will not do this and walks away forlorn. Jesus tells his disciples that it will be harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. The disciples then ask, “Who, then can be saved?” Jesus’ response is found in the verses for today. We cannot earn eternal life. Eternal life is only possible through God.
Peter hears these words but appears to be proving that he and the disciples are worthy of eternal life because they have put God before everything and followed Jesus. Jesus tells them that they will be abundantly rewarded for the sacrifices that they have made serving God. However, it is by the grace of God that they and we are saved not by our works. It is because of the grace of God that we want to follow Jesus and do good, because if we love God how can we enjoy doing evil?
Lord, God, increase my faith in you and help me to follow you each hour of the day. Amen.
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