Matthew 21

• Matthew 21:45-46 (NIV) 45  When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46  They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

I don't know about you but I would be weeping and begging for forgiveness if I were a chief priest or Pharisee, and I heard Jesus say that story about me.  They knew that they were guilty of what Jesus was saying in the story of rejecting the Truth, but their response was not one of brokenness and contrition, it was a hardened heart and a purpose to destroy Jesus because of how He pointed out what needed to change.  

At least I should be weeping and contrite.  Except as I think about it I realize that I am a lot like those guys.  There are many areas of my life where the Holy Spirit has pointed out that I am in need of change and instead of responding in obedience I make excuses about why I can't and won't change.  Sometimes the Holy Spirit will speak through others about things that we need to submit to Him and our response is to harden our heart and cut ourselves off from the person who was the messenger.  I think of things I know that God would want me to change but I am too prideful to admit that maybe the way I am doing it is wrong and I don't want to lose face with people so I harden my heart.  

We who are Christ-followers can be more like the priests and Pharisees than we would like to admit.  We get caught up in our religious method and make it the main thing.  In so doing we lose sight of what is important - ongoing relationship with God through His Son and obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Instead of running away from what we need to do, embrace it even if we have to sacrifice our pride.  Instead of getting angry at the messenger embrace what God is saying to us and be willing to let it cut us to the heart because the end result is always better.  

Father forgive me for being one of those Pharisees who gets prideful in following your rules.  Let my heart be convicted and my actions be changed when you show me areas where I am not walking in right relationship with you.  Instead of being angry and making excuses or running away let me embrace what you are saying, even when it seems humbling and hard.  I love you and want to please you.  I want to run to you not away from you and I certainly do not want to be guilty of trying to undermine your work in my life and in the lives of others.