One Thing You Lack

Reflection 48 from Matters of the Heart, a series of Orthodox reflections on faith and life.

“One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” – Mark 10:21

See Also:

John 14:1-4

We often wonder what it takes to be a good Christian, and what God requires of us in order that we may inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. We often become burdened by our inability to follow Christ in similar fashion to others who seem to be well along their path to salvation, or by those saintly examples who have triumphantly reached their destination.

But Christ teaches us with tenderness and love, as he did with the young ruler that our heavenly inheritance depends on one thing; our ability to leave it all behind and follow our Lord. The Lord requires our total devotion, our complete self-giving and the surrendering of the self. It is simply the life of full obedience to the will of God, and the willingness to take Christ our Lord as our guide towards His Kingdom. Strive therefore to attain this one thing, for it is those who forsake their earthly valuables that are able to grasp hold of the heavenly ones.

Prayer

Lord I beseech You, help me let go of the worldly in order that I may grasp the heavenly.

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