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Sometimes when I am in scripture, even scripture I have read countless times a word, phrase, or sentence jumps off the page and bites me. I feel the power in the words, it speaks to me as if beckoning me to stay a little while. To linger, to dig deeper, and to feel.
Last night this happened in Mark 8:36. Jesus is talking to His people about taking up the cross and following him. Mark 8:34-9:1 is a beautiful chunk of deep scripture, but that one sentence pulled me deeper, Jesus says “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul”. This question from Jesus is so contrary to the world we live in, a culture of striving, climbing, fighting your way to the top. The top of what? Jesus asks a question nearly 2,000 years ago that is relevant in this very second.
Mark 8:36 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”
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What price are you willing to pay for worldly fame, fortune, and success? Is worth your soul? I hope that if you are still striving, climbing, fighting your way to the top you pause just for a second and ask yourself is it worth the price. Please do not misunderstand me, I am not discounting the value of success and hard work, but all the glory goes to God.
Psalms 39: 4-6 Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is nothing before You; certainly, every man at his best is but vapor. Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely, they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches and does not know who will gather them.
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I did not know why I was drawn to this scripture, which took some time, and some prayer. It would have been easy enough to discount, to ignore, and move on. The Bible should not be read as words, it is THE WORD of God.
I know now why I needed this scripture; My default flesh setting is to strive, climb and fight my way to the top. This scripture spoke to me as a reminder of what I have been and what I can become when I misplace my priorities. I needed this scripture like I need the ache of my three healed broken toes, they remind me to be careful in the gym. This scripture reminds me to be careful in this world, or I just might lose my soul.
Thank you, Jesus your grace is sufficient. I understand the magnitude of Your sacrifice for me and I never want to take that for granted. The Holy Spirit please help me not only read scripture but to linger, dig deeper, and to feel. Great is your faithfulness, Amen.