Matthew 12:31-37
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. As you breathe in, say the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Before you begin today’s meditation, think back to the preceding passage, Matthew 12:22-30. Then read Matthew 12:31-37 keeping in mind that the Pharisees were experts in the Scripture and laws of God, yet they failed to recognize the activity of God in the actions of Jesus.
The first part of today’s passage taken out of context can be easily misunderstood. The dictionary defines blasphemy as, “the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things,” but as we have seen throughout the Gospel accounts, Jesus’ main concern is with the condition of a person’s heart.
From what Jesus says after his remarks regarding blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, it’s clear that he is making the point that words are a reflection of a person’s heart. The Pharisees’ hearts are not open to God. In their hearts, they have reduced God to fit a mold that agrees with their own ideas, and the words they speak reveal their inability to recognize God on God’s terms. It is not a carelessly spoken phrase that condemns them; it is their continual rejection of the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in the world through Jesus.
Get quiet for a moment and let your thoughts settle. Begin to recognize your breath and receive it as a gift from God. Don’t attempt to accomplish anything in this time of silence, just allow God to calm and center you.
Read Matthew 12:31-37 again.
In the Older Testament collection of wise sayings known as the book of Proverbs we read:
“My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.” – Proverbs 4:20-23
Spend a few minutes meditating on these words imagining that God is speaking them directly to you.
Do you sense that there is something God particularly wants you to remember or do as a result of this time of reflection?
How do you plan to follow through on that?
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