Happy Friday! It’s Nov. 25, 2022. What do you do when you are presented with two choices, and neither seems appealing? That happens in our journal today. Read on …
Today's Reading:
Matthew 20,21,22
Scripture
“Jesus said to them, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone …’ Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.’” (Matthew 21:42-44)
Observation
Broken or scattered?
At first glance, my observation would be to say, “Thank you, but both options I politely decline.” However, He gives me no other options besides these two. I must choose one or the other; a “no choice” would equal a wrong choice. In other words, Jesus is saying that if I want to enter the Kingdom of God, “brokenness” will be standard, not optional. I must allow God to invade my present notions and even my long-held ideas. Some of my long-held opinions may no longer hold any water. Over time, they have become slightly corroded, and now they must be broken. For example, in a plumber’s world, a leaking joint is often frozen in place from years of usage. It has corroded, but it still worked … until now, anyway. Now it is leaking and needs to be replaced. However, there is no way to save the old. It must be broken in order to be removed, and then the new joint can replace the old, and the leakage will stop.
Application
There will be times that my corroded ideas, now frozen in place, must be removed for me to enter the Kingdom of God. It could be:
- A once-confident perspective that now has turned haughty.
- A once-devoted stance on an issue is now self-righteous and legalistic.
- A leadership position has now become one of pride and personal privilege, far removed from how it began as one of humility and servanthood.
So, God has to break us in order to replace the old with the new. If we refuse, we will be scattered like dust. So, I must be willing to be broken, and then I will find the doorway that enters me into the Kingdom of heaven. And one of the keys to that doorway … brokenness.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I want to enter the Kingdom of God. We can be as righteous as the Pharisees, but that kind of righteousness can actually bar us from Your Kingdom. In fact, You said to the Pharisees in Matthew 21:31, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you.” Therefore, I am willing to be broken so that I might be renewed.
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