THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 12:1-12
“They knew he had spoken the parable against them.” (Mark 12:12)
When God speaks, it cuts into our hearts (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12).
He is graciously exposing and challenging and healing us, even if it hurts.
Jesus is the Voice of God; what He says cuts deep, like a surgeons scalpel.
The point of this story is a challenge, exposing their sinful, selfish hearts.
Often when God speaks, it touches deep inside of us… but how do we respond?
The best way to respond is with an open, humble heart, willing to learn and change.
But too often our natural response is a closed, defensive heart.
We look to evade the message, the conviction: we shift the focus, we make excuses.
We justify the behaviour, ridicule the speaker, ignore the feelings, or blame others.
I guess it makes sense, if someone is coming at us with a knife, we would resist it…
Unless that knife is a surgeon’s scalpel, and the blade is taking out a deadly cancer.
My purpose in reading the bible daily is to allow the Spirit to cut into my heart.
What is the Lord saying to me, how is He challenging me or exposing sin in me?
As a Jesus follower, I should welcome His probing, healing words.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I often feel that You are speaking about me. And I often resist the spiritual knife, because it hurts. Help me to see that the pain is nothing compared to the thing You are trying to expose and cut out of me.