Posted on December 20, 2022 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters
Good is what brings an end to all striving, providing rest and contentment mentally, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually for the soul. It is this truth that anchors Jesus’ response to the young man who asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:17-18). Jesus’ statement is the keystone to the entire Gospel, for anchored in this truth, ‘No one is good except God alone’, is everything that provides our rest. God ‘is’ Absolute Perfect Love, Peace, Joy, Beauty, Justice, Truth, Virtue, and Contentment. Therefore, He is ‘The Good.’
This is why Jesus, as the Son of God and in perfect Unity with God’s nature, claimed, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:14). And, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst” (John 6:35). And, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water'” (John 7:38). And finally, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Math 11:31). Everything you are striving for, desiring to have, pursuing after, and hoping for is found in God who alone ‘is Good.’ God sent His one and only Son, so that whosever ‘Believes’ in Him as the way, will have eternal life. There is the answer to the young man’s question, but as most people do, he went away sad because he wasn’t hearing Jesus. He was distracted by his pursuit of temporary things, like wealth, power, prestige, sex, and other self centered ambitions.
Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father (and rests in His goodness) but by me’. This is why He repeatedly said, ‘Drink of my salvation’, and ‘devour my Word’, and stop striving to gain what I am ‘the way’ too.
You want rest for your weary soul? Put your faith in Him, “Take Jesus’ yoke upon you and learn from Him, for He is gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For His yoke is easy and His burden is light” (Matt 10:28-30).
Praying you Choose Jesus (the way to the Good) today!
Written by David Brown: David Brown is a husband, father, grandfather, Pastor with a Masters of Religious Studies and a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Dave is the Associate Pastor of Pemberton’s First Baptist Church. He is the author of two devotional books, “From a Chair by the Window.” And “#PrayerWinsThe Day”.
Think About This: “The very purpose of Christ’s coming into the world was that He might offer up His life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas.” – Billy Graham
The Daily Bible Reading: Micah 4-5; Revelation 11 You can download our 2022 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.” Psalm 69:13
Consider a retreat at America’s Keswick retreat center.
