What Must I Do?

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.” “Which ones?” he inquired. (Matthew 19:16-18 NIV)

In the garden, Adam and his wife were tricked. They were basically told that if they did something (ate from the tree) then they would become like God. It sounded good, but it was a trap and one we have all fallen for. 

I guess all of us, in our heart, want to be like God or want to please him. Maybe not a bad motivation but not the one that fashions our relationship with him. In fact, the lie told to Adam and his wife is the one we often listen to. "What must I do?" When we live like this it's tiring. In reality, we have no idea if we are doing the right thing. It may be the right thing on one occasion but completely wrong on another. 

This trap has drawn us away from our eternal destiny where we were meant to live as sons and daughters. Walking like Jesus and only doing what we see the Father doing.

The secret is not to live from the tree of knowledge of good and evil but to live from the tree of life. The expression of life itself. 

The rich young ruler had done the right things all his life yet he still asked the question "what must I do?" That question never satisfies because principally we are not doers but recipients of the flow of life from Heaven into our heart.