Jesus, speak to me this morning as I am listening for your words of life
“As he spoke, a Pharisee invited Jesus to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus did not first wash his hands before the meal.” (Luke 11:37-38)
Jesus, if You lived physically on the earth today and I invited You to spend a day with me, what would I be astonished by because of the things You do and do not do? I claim I know You, however how much of the image I have for You is a creation of my image, my actions, my religion, personal preferences and my beliefs that I have imposed on You. The Pharisees, who spent much time reading Your Word, understanding Your laws and rules, and who were the “experts” in modeling and living out “Holy Living” and teaching others to do the same, got so much about You wrong. So it makes me reflect this morning on how much of my image of You I have that is wrong
For “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? “(Romans 11:33-34) Remind me of this today Jesus. Let me apply to my heart and life Your words to the Pharisees.
“Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well? But give from your heart to those in need, and then everything will be clean for you.” (Luke 11:39-41)
Jesus. Your illustration of only washing, cleaning the outside of the cup and not the inside shows you knew what they were thinking and deliberately set up a contrast that charged them with hypocrisy and majoring on minors. Jesus, you know what I am thinking as well. I do not want to be a hypocrite. I do not want to major on the minors.
So by Your Holy Spirit free me today from my image I have imposed on you Jesus. Come out of the “box” I have put you in and reveal yourself to me in a way that is new. Astonish me today! Shake me to my core so all the characteristics I have placed on you fall away, and I experience only Jesus. That way I can see, enter into the lives, and love those around me today like You would. In Jesus’ name.
My family, I pray today you ask the Holy Spirit to give you a new revelation of who Jesus really is. I pray you are directed away from focusing and cleaning the outside of the cup to focusing on and cleaning the inside, directed away from majoring on the minors, and you are astonished by who Jesus really is. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Take 5 minutes, turn up your volume, close your eyes, click the link below and listen to the song “Simple Gospel” and simply worship.
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