Let go

TODAY'S READING: Matthew 19:16-30
I don't know how many of you have seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but I am a big fan of the Indiana Jones series. If you are not familiar with them, Indiana Jones, a professor and archaeologist, played by Harrison Ford, finds himself on adventures searching for artifacts.
In "Last Crusade," Indy is searching for the Holy Grail. At then end of the movie he finds the Grail, but of course the "bad guys" show up. In the midst of the struggle, the Grail falls into a crevice. One of the characters who also wants the Grail reaches for it. Indy grabs her one hand while she reaches for the Grail with the other. She continues to stretch until it becomes obvious that she will have to make a decision. Let the Grail go or reach for it and probably fall to her death. Indy tells her to "let it go." She decides to reach for the Grail, looses her grip on Indy's hand, and falls to her death.
As we strive to follow Jesus, we must ask ourselves what our "Grail" is. Obviously for the rich young man, his grail was his possessions. While he was willing to "obey the commandments" he was unwilling to let go of the one thing that caused him to lose his grip with God. And he walked away saddened as he experienced a form of spiritual death.
What is it that you are not willing to let go of? What is weakening your grip with God? If Jesus walked up to you today and you had the same conversation that the rich young man had with Him, what would Jesus ask you to give up? What would your reaction be?
God is calling us to live a life of giving. That includes giving up anything that comes between us and Him. Jesus' words to his disciples both haunt and challenge me...
"Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life. But many who seem to be important now will be the least important then, and those who are considered least here will be the greatest then."
What do you still need to let go of in order to follow Jesus completely?

shine!
Jason