March 16, 2019
Matthew 23:37-39 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Today is the tenth day of our 40-Day Lenten Series, “Praying for a Kingdom Heart.” Lent should be a time of prayerful reflection, repentance, and restoration as we draw closer to the heart of God. He wants us near his heart in order to take care of us. A Kingdom heart develops as we welcome and dwell with the Word in bringing deliverance to our souls (mind, will, and emotions). Therefore, do you live each day feeding on the Truth of God’s Word, confronting anything in your flesh that tries to keep you in bondage to sin, and asking the Lord to deliver you into the Truth of who you really are as his child?
When we first come to Christ, we confess we need a Savior; a Deliverer from sin and death. Christ brings us freedom and eternal life; our bodies become the Temple of God. Now, we are free to live out our salvation each day being led by the Spirit whose job it is to keep us living the Word or Truth. Let’s do some reflection. Do you recognize as a human being living in a world tainted by sin you have an inclination in your flesh to live wayward to the Word of God, because Satan uses people and systems to oppose God? We need to live in close fellowship with God, because he is the Truth that delivers us, on an ongoing basis, from the intent of evil.
In our passage today, Jesus prophesies the future while sharing about the heart of the Father. At this time, the Temple in Jerusalem is considered the earthly dwelling place of God. The religious leaders and systems are to be examples of the Truth; reminding God’s people about how the Deliverer came to take them from slavery in a system corrupted by evil and delivering them into a realm of freedom to live the Truth. It is the stubbornness of the people and systems that will cause them to face God’s judgment. The Temple will lie in ruins and the people will be exiled back into slavery. But, where is the Deliverer? Waiting for the Truth to be welcomed.