Road to Hell Paving Company
/Scripture
Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and goes out into the sewer?” …. And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:18-23 NRSVUE)
Road to Hell Paving Company
A friend called the other day and I said he must be psychic because I had thought of calling him the day before. I continued, “Being the CEO of the Road to Hell Paving Company, I left the paving truck in the garage, instead of phoning.” Good intentions are less than useful unless we do something about them.
As daylight increases and we anticipate Spring’s arrival, having a look back at our lives and particularly at our intentions might be a good pre-Easter exercise. Things we intended to do but left undone. Things we wish we hadn’t intended and acted upon. Daylight on hidden intentions is good cleanser.
Jesus’ angriest critics were provoked because he didn’t observe all their cleansing rituals. They might have had cleaner hands than him on any given day, but their attitudes and intentions left a lot to be desired.
They worried about stuff that got taken care of in the sewer system but Jesus wanted hearts that were pure in intention. We have an internal pool of stuff that needs attention, otherwise we release anger, envy, immorality, deceit, slander etc. on the world around us. Asking Jesus to help us focus on what really matters can purify our intentions.
A Prayer for Today
Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten our minds, cleanse our motives, clarify our intentions and guide our ambitions.
When full understanding is not possible, give us faith to trust in you anyway.
When our questions are greater than our answers, give us faith to trust in you anyway.
When our doubts outweigh our certainties, give us faith to trust in you anyway.
In the name of the One who makes possible the answer to this prayer,
In the name of Jesus, we offer this request. Amen
PS. Please see our new blog Violence is the Sound that Pain Makes — Touchstone. An interview with Stacey Campbell, President and CEO of Prison Fellowship Canada.
