Daily Affirmations - Day 2 - The Cost of Obedience - God's Terms
- Alisa B.
- Sep 14, 2025
- 2 min read
Day 2: God's terms
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
...“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth (Matthew 19:16-17, 20-22).
He went away; he would hear no more of that discourse. How many would have heaven if they might have it upon their own terms! How few are willing to come up to God’s terms!
How false and deceitful are our hearts! They will persuade us we have done all, when indeed we have done nothing, nor are prepared to do any thing in truth and sincerity.
We are not perfect, something is wanting to us, till to will to do whatsoever God requireth of us be present with us, though, when it comes to, we may want strength to perform.
~ Matthew Poole's Commentary
All merciful and eternal God, with deep repentance, I come before Thee to seek comfort and strength in the grace of Jesus Christ alone.
Oh, how vain was my dream that I could earn Thy favor and win heaven by my own goodness! How foolish the thought that by the purity of my conscience and my earnest endeavors, I could be just in Thy sight!
I might be praised by the world for being upright and virtuous; my life may bear the semblance of goodness in external conduct in the many acts of kindness, self-denial, and fidelity of duty performed by me.
But when I test my inmost motives in the light of Thy Word, how different is their aspect! It was often mere self-interest, or the pressure of circumstances, or unwillingness to lose my credit and high reputation before the world, which led me to make sacrifices or perform acts that in the secret recesses my soul regarded with reluctance or aversion…
O heavenly Father, forgive, forgive the deep self-deception, the base hypocrisy into which I have allowed myself to fall…Have pity on Thy wandering child, and leave me not till my humbled heart finds its life and solace and strength in Thee alone.
Thou who has ever received sinners so gently and graciously will not suffer my cry to go unheeded. O Thou, my Lord, my Light, my Truth, and my Salvation. Amen.
~ Martin Luther
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