Notes to the Lord:The Steps Lead On

Scripture Reflection:Matthew 15

³Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' ⁵But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' ⁶he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

^{Lord Jesus--You are not content with those who follow you to stay on the edges. You do not allow me to remain in control...it is a required course to confront my control issues.}

^{You will not allow me to avoid the truth. You call me again and again to the heart of the matter...obedience to your call. To obey the command, but not to in the obedience loose sight of the very roots of the intention of the command in the first place...you call me to heart obedience, not just tradition.}

⁷You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
⁸" 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
⁹They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men."

Lord Jesus--So where are those places where I give lip service to obedience and yet fall flat on my face in real heart of the matter? It isn't about washing hands before a meal that is the most important issues to be concerned about. Hand-washing was the issue that started this teaching triggered by the Pharisees. Nor is it about giving instead of honoring parents...the issue is control.

It is amazing how a simple question can trigger so much...this was the harding of opposition to Your ministry Lord Jesus. These men questioning sensed the radical call to obedience that Your ministry implied and they were not ready to follow.

The central question since the garden of Eden has been who is in control. Or put more personally...will my wandering, wayward heart follow your call? Your call which not so much a state of being, but instead an ongoing call to follow the soft sandal clad footfall of your steps through the days of my life.

Lord Jesus keep my feet moving with Yours.