Living for Jesus

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"But he left the linen sheet behind and ran off naked" (Mark 14:51-52). Here is an account in the book of Mark, of a scene in the garden of Gethsemane where soldiers came to arrest Jesus. Mark tells of a young man who happened to stick around even after the three disciples fled the scene in fear. Who was this young man? Why was this strange account chosen and inspired by God to be remembered?
            This reminds me of another nameless person whom God chose to be remembered, found in the same chapter of the book of Mark. Jesus spoke of the woman with the alabaster jar when he said, "wherever the Gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her" (Mark 14:9).
            I have been pondering lately of these 2 biblical accounts. What do these 2 people have in common? Why did God want all generations to remember them? What did they do that God felt them worthy to be placed in the Holy Bible?
            I have sought God for weeks on the account of the young man in the garden, asking Him such questions as "Why did You feel this story was important?" Why was this young man in the garden wearing nothing but a linen sheet? Why does the account stress the fact that he ran off naked?"
Today is the day that Holy Spirit has given me revelation about this account. The man was in the garden in the middle of the night. He wasn't at home sleeping in his bed. He wasn't in a house where he dwelled with his family. He had no clothing on his body. The Bible mentions he had a linen sheet only, which leads you to think that he was using it as bedding. These thoughts led me to the opinion that he was homeless and lacked basic necessities.
            I feel that the young man left everything to follow Jesus.  He left his home. He left his family. He sold everything he owned and chose to follow Jesus. The words in verse 52 are important!..."He ran off naked" is symbolic in that he POSSESSED NOTHING BUT JESUS. This young man did exactly what we've heard Jesus tell many others throughout the Gospels, such as the rich man in the book of Matthew. Jesus told him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" (Matthew 19:21). He was probably present in the crowd when he heard Jesus say “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44).
            In the midst of the chaos in the garden when the soldiers came to take Jesus away, the three disciples fled, but the young man stayed. This man was living for Jesus. His whole life was Jesus. He didn't fear prison or death. He had no fear, because "perfect love casts out all fear" (1 John 4:18). This man loved Jesus so much, that he left everything he valued behind, for the treasure that he found in Jesus.  This man died to self in order to live for Him. His life was not his own anymore. He was living for Jesus because he was in love with Jesus...just like the woman with the alabaster jar.
            This nameless woman came to Jesus with her bottle containing a perfumed oil that was worth more than 300 days' wages. That's a whole lot of money! I feel that it was everything she had. This woman whom Jesus said that we should always remember, poured out everything she had upon Jesus. I feel that this is symbolic of her pouring out her life and everything that she valued upon Jesus. She was most likely in ear shot on the day that Jesus told the crowd, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it" (Mark 8:34-35). The woman and the young naked man found Jesus, "the Treasure," and came to value Him and love Him above everyone and everything. They made the decision to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him.
            This leads me to ask myself, "Am I a true Christ-follower? Do I value Jesus above everyone else and everything else? Have I truly laid down my life to follow Him? To go where He asks me to go? To do what He asks me to do? To say what He asks me to say? Do I treasure Him or do I treasure the things of this world more? Do I live for Him or do I live for myself or for another?"
            I pray that every self-professed Christian get a fresh revelation of the love of Jesus Christ; the revelation that He so loved them, that He gave His life for them on the cross. I pray that this revelation will cause them to lay their lives down, to die to self, in order to live for Him. May we fall in love with Jesus all over again and choose to follow Him, like the 2 laid-down lovers of Jesus in the book of Mark.