You Can Be Close To Jesus And Still Walk Away

You're listening to the My Morning Devotional Podcast, and today is episode 1584. Today's devo is called You Can Be Close to Jesus and Still Walk Away.

Hey there, we're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy and to-do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a five-minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning Devotional Podcast.

Being interested in Jesus is not the same thing as surrendering to Jesus. We have a lot of people out there who uh like him. They click the like button on their relationship with Jesus, but they're not really fully surrendered to him. I like to say it this way: you're a fan, but you're not a friend. Jesus wants to be a friend to us. He wants to be intimate with us. He wants to be able to call you son or daughter. He wants to be close and intimate. So it is possible that you could be close to him and still walk away. Now, here's the verse that I want to base this on today. It's Matthew 19, verse 22. And we're going verse by verse in this chapter this week. It says this when the young man heard this, he went away sad because he had great wealth. Now, this is the saddest verse in Matthew 19 to me, because the rich young ruler came to Jesus. He surrendered in a moment to him. He asked all the right questions and he did the right things. He was moral, he was integrous, he was sincere. But he looked like the kind of person you would assume was all in. However, when Jesus put his finger on the one area that wasn't surrendered, the man walked away sad because he wasn't in any way able to surrender the one area of his life that Jesus asked for. He was close enough to ask, like many of us are, close enough to listen, you're listening there today. And he was close enough to look spiritual, but not surrendered enough. And here's the key word to obey. Jesus requires obedience from us. Now, this should sober us all because proximity to Jesus is not the same as surrender to Jesus. Maybe you woke up this morning or you're listening to this throughout the day and you're struggling in a place where you feel stuck. You can sit in church, you can know the language, you can ask all the questions, you can serve in ministry, but still keep one part of your heart off limits. My husband likes to call it a no-go zone. That's the area where we don't want to hear truth. We already know truth. Or it's an area we don't want to let go. Something we see all the time in ministry. Believers who want to believe until God hits that one nerve and he asks, give that to me, that person, that relationship, those finances, that area of idol that you put on a pedestal. Let me have it. See, here's some quick truths today. Number one, Jesus will always go after the part of your life you've kept untouched. Because he wants all of you, not just the manageable parts. See, that part you can do. He wants the part that only he can do. Number two, the thing that you refuse to surrender will compete with God's authority in your life. Ouch. I know that might not be the way you wanted to start your day, but listen, I promise you, truth applied sets you free. Not just truth that you listen to, but truth that's applied. The thing you refuse to surrender will compete with God's authority in your life. For this man, the rich young ruler, ruler, it was wealth. And for someone else, it might be control or pride or image or comfort or walking away from something that you know isn't good for you. And number three, partial surrender leaves you bound. So you can't halfway obey. You can't surrender three-fourths of this thing. You can't fully follow Jesus while protecting the idol that he's asking you to release. He's telling you this morning, take it down. And that's what that verse tells us. Let me read that verse one more time before we close here today. When the young man heard this, he went away sad because he had great wealth. Now you might say that doesn't really apply. I can't quote that scripture throughout the day. No, but you can understand this that you can't fully follow Jesus if you're like the rich young ruler, refusing to surrender to the thing that Jesus is asking for. So let me pray for you today. Lord, we pray for every listener today that wants to be near you, that wants to be surrendered to you. Show them right now if there's any area that they've kept guarded or protected or unsurrendered. Don't allow them to walk away sad this morning or today or when they hear this truth, holding on to something that will keep them from following you fully? Give them the courage, the strength, and the ability not only to hear the word, but to do the word and to give you every part of their lives today. In Jesus' name, amen. Now let me ask you, what part of your life are you still trying to hold on to? What part of your life are you still trying to manage instead of surrender? Will you be courageous today and surrender at all to Him? Everything changes when you do. God bless you and have a great day.

So there you have it, your five minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in today. We pray these devotionals empower you to take on your day. If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend. Leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow, we pray that your latte is strong, but your love for Jesus is stronger.