What is the first step in our walk with God?  It can be a variety of things.  For some of us, its beautiful.  When we see something beautiful in life, we are reminded that there is beauty in life and God is that thing that is beautiful.

Perhaps it is passion. Maybe we feel God move in some powerful way and we want to be a part of that.  We want to know that thing that is deeper and bigger and more alive.

In so many ways, those that thing that draws us to Him is this.  Need.  We realize that in some deep way, we need Him.  There is a need, there is a gap, there is something that is missing in our lives.  Realizing that many times is that first step towards Him.  Look at what happens today, through in Mark 10:17-22:

17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments:”You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.”‘ 20He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ 22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Reading this today, this is what jumped out to me.  First, the man comes up to Jesus and calls Him good.  Notice Jesus’ response.  No one is good but God.  Now, Jesus is a good and holy and God Himself.  So He had every right to properly receive that title of “good.”  But he acted with humility.

The man asks Jesus what he had to do to enter the kingdom.  Jesus give a bunch of commands and the guy says – I’ve kept all these since my youth.  In other words, I’m awesome.  I’m pretty holy.  I am good.

See the contrast?  Jesus passed on the glory to God, and the man says, nope.  I’ve got this down pat.  I’m got it, it, I’m good.

He didn’t see that he needed God.  Coming to God is not about “doing” more, it’s about realizing that we need Him.  And when we realize that we need Him, He will give Himself to us.  But we can’t receive Him until we know that we need Him.

The man in the story thought he needed to do more and that he could do it one his own.  So Jesus told him to do something that he couldn’t do on his own; something he could only do through God. And he couldn’t do that.

Because he couldn’t do it.  Not on his own.  Only thought God could he do it.

He didn’t realize that he needed God.  And so he walked away shocked.

Because he didn’t realize his need for God.

He thought he had it.

May we not make that same mistake today!  May we realize our need for God, and may we understand just how He will meet those needs.

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