Today’s reading comes from Mark 7-9 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.
The Pharisees were professionals at praising God with their lips, but having their hearts set against him. It’s a terrible thing to live so completely and fully for yourself while proclaiming God’s kingdom with your lips.
In this world their is a great temptation to profess a love for God with our lips and change the rules (7:9-13). We seek to make God in our image, to assume what He would say or how He would feel about something simply because that is the way we feel about it. Many people capitalize on the fact that God is a “loving” God and then turn around and define love in some other way than God defines it. They end up removing the jealousy of God, and maybe even forgetting His wrath.
Keep reading though. Read the words of Jesus. Don’t use the love of God to say that their is no Hell. Hell is real and people go there. Jesus said better to fight sin than go there (9:42-48). Justifying your sin will surely send you there no matter how much you profess the love of God.
The Pharisees had the same issue. They said that honoring your parents was more of a suggestion and if you wanted to pledge your money to the temple instead of supporting your parents in their old age, that you were righteous for doing it (7:9-13). But they were wrong. They were dead wrong. They were not near to God with their hearts. Their jaws moved, their gums smacked, but their heart wreaked of the foulest things (7:21-23).
You have a bad heart when you just want to justify your sin under the love of God. Sure God forgives, but not without repentance. Repentance isn’t just acknowledging what you’ve done, but agreeing with God about what you’ve done and turning away from it.
Here is how I am praying through this passage today:
FATHER, Thank you for your word and where it brings conviction. I pray that we wouldn’t be like those in chapter seven who deceived themselves into thinking they were right with you, but really were far from you. I pray that we would not be ashamed of you, but that we would pick up our crosses and follow you. I thank you for the privilege of being a father and leading my family. I pray that I lead them all well. Thank you for the grace of shepherding your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.
What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.
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