Flipped

God loves all creation but leaves the inner room exclusive to those that believe. Jesus’ usage of parables was two-pronged. To reveal and conceal. A ready (receptive) heart believes that Jesus is Lord, which opens the door, and gives Him a slate to work with. Note that the slate need not be clean. If we were spotless, there would be no need for His blood. Salvation is for the one who believes there is a Savior, acknowledges a need to be saved, and confesses the Saviors lordship. Purification is His doing. Ours is to be ready. Jesus gives a new heart, and the insight to know the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

On the flip side, a ‘hard‘ (resistant) heart is curated by the trappings of a fallen world, and is truth averse. For these ones, their ears are open, but they do not hear, and their eyes are awake, but they do not see a thing. The people are blockheads! The verse continues, they stick their fingers in their ears, so they won’t have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won’t have to look, so they won’t have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. I gotta say, I imagined Jesus saying the word ‘blockhead’ and burst out laughing. But what is a more suitable name for a person who doggedly refuses medicine for his/her illness? What is a better descriptor for an emaciated soul refusing bread?

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. We all have access to the truth. Afterall the Bible is said to be the best-selling book of all time. But the Holy Spirit, who guides into all truth is reserved for those who believe and have received Him. So it makes sense that only those in Christ would understand the truth in its pages, and hold on to said truth.

Hey! It is foolish to think we can be sole proprietors of self. We are all led by something or someone. We are all slaves to something or someone. We do not have to look too far to figure it out either. I will say this. Everything else leads to death; spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical. The only way (door) to life is Jesus. Why not choose Him?

^{Dear Jesus, it’s me. I admit that I have been living on my own terms. I no longer want to. It’s taken much too long to get to this point, but I believe that You died for me and conquered death by rising on the 3rd day. I believe you did this because you love me and want me close. I want you to be my Lord and Savior. You are my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart, flip all the tables you want to, fill me up, make me yours, make me whole. I want to live for you. Amen}

Happy MonyaaaaaaY!
Xo, Mel.