Today’s scripture: Matthew 14:1-13 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Ben Lamb):
How often do we do something without thinking about the fallout that might happen because of it? Today’s reading is an excellent example.
When Herod and his sister-in-law first decided to have a fling, I’ll bet neither of them could have foreseen that it would lead to Jesus’ cousin’s murder. But that’s exactly what happened. If only they’d have thought beforehand about their actions. . .
But, many of us (myself included) also are guilty of impulse actions and a “me, myself, and I” attitude at times. Perhaps our actions don’t result in such horrible outcomes as Herod and Herodias’, but they still can be undesirable.
One thing that’s hard for me to do sometimes is to refrain from blurting out the first thought or response that comes to mind in a situation. The results can be quite comical at times when misunderstanding a person, or my action can be quite hurtful to others when I merely want to “get even.”
It’s when I stop to think to myself, “Do I really need to say or do ‘x’?” that I get a better sense of what the Holy Spirit is trying to do in spite of my initial desires. I’ve discovered that taking an extra couple of mere seconds in the “now” can save myself and others from mounds of hurt in the future.
As I think about what less-than-Jesus caliber thing I’m tempted to say or do, it seems that the Holy Spirit imparts the knowledge to my mind of what I really should do instead. And you know what? 100% of the time, God’s way has been better than my way. Sometimes I haven’t fully realized how God’s way was going to be better in the long-run, but eventually I have come to understand.
Thought for the day: If God is smart enough to run the universe, then God is smart enough to know what actions truly are best for me. I need to take the time to listen.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.