What;
another dog picture? Well, yes, but the believe it or not, my primary
focus is not really on the dogs, but on the message at the top.
For
those of us who have seen “The Matrix” , Lawrence Fishburne is a
familiar face. In the movie, he tells
Kenu
Reeves character, Thomas
A. Anderson (otherwise referred to as NEO) a seemingly impossible
truth: all you know as reality is in fact a simulation. Then, he
offers him a choice of two pills; one will show Neo
the truth and the other will allow him to remain deceived. Neo
makes the right choice and his life is forever changed.
In
the book of Luke, Jesus also asks a life changing question….
Luke
18 ( World
English
Bible
)
18
A
certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to
inherit eternal life?”
19 Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”
21 He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.”
22 When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me.” (emphasis added)
23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.
24 Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”
26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
27 But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
19 Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”
21 He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.”
22 When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me.” (emphasis added)
23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.
24 Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”
26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
27 But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Dogs
love playing ball! So letting go of one, would be unthinkable,
perhaps even impossible!
Right
about now, you are probably thinking: I am NOT a dog, I can make
decisions based on intellect and not just feelings. Of course that is
true, but for many of us, things like money, family, possessions or
fame “get in the way” of following Jesus.
Unlike
animals, we can change; the things that seem impossible to us can be
overcome with God’s help. We can walk with Jesus, but first we have
to give up our “BALL”.
I
wonder: can we?