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Calling God Good

“‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good—except God alone.’” Luke 18:19

We find Jesus answering a question with a question. He was good at that. He asks this man if he were truly acknowledging Him as God. That is the key to what happens next. The man asked what he had to do to have eternal life. When Jesus gave him a final step to take in following Him, the man balked. He became sad. He was rich and Jesus asked him to give his wealth to the poor and follow Him. He was reluctant. And he turned away.

I have come to a number of points in my life that were crossroads of decision. At those points, I had to answer the same implied question here: Will I allow God to be God or not? This young man seemed to want to, but when the time came for the rubber to meet the road, he walked away.

Jesus is asking us the same question today: Why do you call me good? And will you follow?

Prayer Focus: Lord, it is easy to call You Lord when life is easy and blessed. Yet when I have to prove it by walking by faith, I can become as easily discouraged as this man. Yet I know that when I allow You to be Lord, life is exciting and fulfilling. May You help me to live under Your Lordship in all things today.

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