Friday, December 24, 2010

What Looks Right Can Be Wrong.....

The woman at the well (John 4) made a point of telling Jesus their worship was determined by the place. She was emphatic about Mount Gerizim, “the place where men ought to worship” (Jn 4:20).   Jesus  explained to her that it did not matter where she worshipped; it was the how that she had to be correct about.  The how of worship is in spirit,that is, being properly tuned to God spiritually.
Jeremiah’s parable of the ripe and spoiled figs reveals this to be true (Jeremiah 24).   The good figs were the Jews who had been taken captive to Babylon, while the rotten figs were the Jews who remained in the Holy Land.
Babylon was suppose to be the evil place, Judah the good.  But that was not true of the figs, for the rotten ones were in the good place; the good ones were in the rotten place.
This speaks volumes to my heart!  Babylon with all its evil did not corrupt the captive Jews.  Why?     Because their hearts were right though their surroundings were evil.  It was exactly the reverse with the Judean Jews, whose hearts were wrong though their surroundings were right.
Often times we have a tendency to blame our friends, family, job or environment for hindering our relationship with God.  The blame lies within our own negligent heart.  The battle is won or lost within me.  Babylon can become my purest heaven or Judea my deepest hell, depending upon my heart condition.
“Lord, I promise that I will not allow my relationship with You be determined by my place of worship.”
“God is spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John 4:24
The Holy Spirit gave me a word one day; it was a warning for me to be on guard.  He said, “...what looks right can be wrong…..”
Jesus Loves Me!

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