Inside Out

Read:  Matthew Chapter 19

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’” (vs 21)

What the natural mind cannot understand is what the Spirit of God reveals.  We as humans tend to latch on to a set of external rules we think define us as righteous and will allow us to enter the kingdom of heaven.  However, Jesus points to the original intent of the Law.  Jesus was consistently exposing heart attitudes and inward dispositions which hinder our experience in God’s Kingdom.  No action is of moral value unless it is an expression of the Spirit of God living in us.

Lord, I confess that I tend to judge myself and others based on a set of external expectations.  Give me the eyes to see myself and others based on what You reveal.  Allow me to see what is in my heart.  Help me to understand that following you isn’t about modifying behavior, but allowing You to transform my heart which causes me to walk in Your way.

*This post is part of a month long devotional series on Matthew.  To start from the intro click here.  To go to the next post click here.