Today’s Readings:
Hebrews 9:15,24-28; Psalm 98:1-6; Mark 3:22-30
RELATIONSHIPS grow into tense situations when there is a breach of trust or conflict of interests. People can raise their voices, spill each other’s secrets or even devolve into full-on fist fights. Even then such persons can reconcile and ask each other’s forgiveness. But there are occasions when forgiveness becomes almost impossible.
Forgiveness is impossible when both parties are unwilling to come to a middle ground of understanding. When I refuse to see things from your point of view and you are unwilling to consider my views, we cannot go on with the relationship. Can this happen in our relationship with God?
IN TODAY’S GOSPEL, Jesus’ miracles is greeted with disapproval from the scribes (the official interpreters of the Jewish scriptures). They accused Jesus of working miracles by the power of the Devil. What is most grievous in this accusation is that they should know better. Their blindness to what God is doing through His Son, Jesus Christ, is the reason they are guilty of “an eternal sin”.
When we cannot see the good in the other person, we have actually stopped relating with them. When we call God the Devil, we have clearly crossed the line – we grieve the Holy Spirit.
SOME INSTANCES where a person can sin against the Holy Spirit are:
Rejection of God’s mercy;
Despair (feeling that God will never forgive you);
Presumption (sinning because you believe you will always ask for forgiveness);
Obstinacy (refusing to repent of your sins);
Resisting truth (refusing to accept that something is sinful and deadly, maybe out of pride);
Envy of another's spiritual welfare (wishing they were less fortunate or discrediting them for no good reason).
THOSE WHO ARE GUILTY of such sins have a false notion of God and His love for us. Our relationship with God is only beneficial when we are willing to do things His way. In choosing to go God’s way, we are sure to find ours. Remember, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
LET US NOT PROVOKE THE HOLY SPIRIT by choosing to remain in our sins. If today, you hear God’s word, search your heart for sins you continue to entertain as normal, free yourself from the false notion that God will continue to forgive you (there is no repentance if you die in your sins).
Also, do not put yourself knowingly in a situation that compromises your relationship with God, either for money or pleasure or both. God is greater than anything you consider important. He will open doors for you in your different situations if you continue to trust Him and deepen your relationship with Him.
JUDE MARY OWOH
Prayer:
Father, I praise Your holy name because You are my wisdom and understanding, in Jesus name.
Father, thank you for You are my strength and shield in the burning sun, in Jesus name.
Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ, in Jesus name.
Every conscious and unconscious agreement between me and the enemy, be broken, in the name of Jesus.
Every distraction programmed on the pathway of our youths and teenagers, be removed by the mighty power of God in Jesus name.
Let the angels of God persecute every enemy of the Gospel of peace in our nation, in Jesus name.
Every blood sucking demons at work in any state of this nation, be arrested by the power in the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.
Commentaires