Journey to the Cross 2017, Day 11

Disclaimer for today's post.  I wrote this 7 years ago for my 2010 Lent Blog Spiritual Journey, but have found myself in a similar situation recently, so it is amazing to me that the timing of this particular post speaks volumes to me in terms of speaking up when God asks me to.  

Monday, Day 11:  Matthew 12                    

Once more I find I am incredulous at just how much Matthew congests into one chapter. We are reminded that our Christian walk is a matter of the heart  – not of doing – and that what God yearns for from us is mercy, which is only achieved in relationship . . . .

I am a rule follower. That is a statement of fact. It’s just always been a part of who I am. I believe we are to render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s. I believe God calls Christians to be above reproach in every way possible. I believe that even in the New Testament, where mercy is proclaimed over and over again, there is still evidence of acute consequences for not being obedient where God calls us to be. That said, I also know God pleads for us to have mercy – and lately I seem to be getting lots of opportunities to practice that. I know I haven’t perfected the trait yet – but God is working with me on it. It is a challenge to find a balance between being a loving ‘prophet’ (speaking truth when God calls me to) and extending loving mercy once I have said what I felt compelled to pass along. I have decided I am accountable to God for the part He asks of me in the process, but I am not responsible for the outcome. Sometimes the required result is walking away; sometimes it is just to smile and extend mercy. The solution is a close walk with the Lord, so it is Him doing the leading, not me.

Daily walking close to Thee. Grant it, Jesus, is my plea…. The lyrics of the song lilt through my brain.

Verse 13 brings us to the ‘beginning of the end’ for Jesus’ life on this earth. He healed a man’s withered hand – and the Pharisees’ reaction was to begin plotting to find a way to kill him. What a reality check for me. I know my own heart – and know my intentions – and want too often to defend myself when I am misunderstood, maligned and misrepresented – but what a model Jesus is. This chapter points out some of the ways in which He was misunderstood, maligned and misrepresented, yet his response was to minister . . . to meet people at the level of their need.

We pray to be like Him but when things get tough for us – as they did for Him – we don’t get it that going through the tough stuff (with Him by our side, and in His grace) is part of being like Him as well . . . . I frankly want to opt out for that part.

I love the quote from Isaiah. Jesus had his affirmation – not from the religious leaders of his day – but from men of God who preceded Him, as recorded in scripture: “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations . . . In his name the nations will put their hope.”

I love those words! I would love to hear them spoken to me: one I love, in whom I delight. Oh, to live so God would be delighted with me! I know He is when we follow Him, because He sees us through the filter of His Son –  yet know I have a long way to go to reach that goal! Lord, my hope is in You! I’m reminded again of the athletes who train for years for their few minutes of actually racing. That is something worth paying attention to: we are in a race – but we are also in training . . . and sometimes we place people in positions prematurely, setting them up for failure. They need their training time . . . .  Definite bunny trail, there . . . .

Leaping forward to verse 30, “He who is not with me is against me, and He who does not gather with me scatters.” That’s straightforward, and compelling.

And then we learn from Jesus himself precisely which sin is unforgivable: blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. When I was one of the Youth Advisors for Monte Pres back in the late 80’s, I wrote a song for the kids for one of our Youth Group services that addressed the issue of God’s name being so popular on the street, in the movies, at the bars – with a refrain that asked, “Why are you so popular when they don’t even know who you are?” It was when I wrote that song that I realized very clearly, it is no accident that the name of the Holy Spirit is not one of the curse words used in the everyday vernacular of the world. They curse God, Jesus, Judas’ priest; call several things holy that aren’t and send a lot of things to hell – but they don’t swear against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not accidental. It is very intentional. People can even be very angry at God and walk away from Him – and it isn’t unforgivable. But for those who absolutely intentionally turn their back on God’s precious Holy Spirit – knowing what they are walking away from – there is some point that there rejection is irreversible.

Man’s greatest arrogance, of course, is thinking that he doesn’t need God – but blasphemy is far more than just that. A lot of pre-Christians don’t know they need God – and only need an opportunity to hear the truth about the One who is Truth – God incarnate / Jesus Christ – and once they hear, they come running to Him in response to the nudging of the Holy Spirit. It’s a miracle every time it happens.

Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks . . . soooooooooo true.  There is so much to consider.

I have to tell you this: I am loving this process. I find I look at the passage ever so much more carefully, knowing I am going to choose something that jumps out at me to write about. To those who are joining in – thank you.

Humor for today:
A priest and a pastor from the nearby town are standing by the side of the road holding up signs that read, “THE END IS NEAR” and ‘TURN BACK BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!”

“Leave us alone, you religious nuts!” yelled the first driver as he sped by.

From around the curve, they heard screeching tires and a big splash. “Do you think,” said one clergyman to the other, “we should just hold up a sign that says ‘Bridge Out’ instead?”