Post trip quiet time

Still getting up early from the remains of jet lag, I began my morning early with a cup of Starbucks and then opening up my IPad to Matthew 23. It was easy to place myself on the Temple Mount, on the eastern side toward the old City of David near where the market would have been. We entered this area through the "Dung Gate". Jesus, in a bold move spoke directly to the Pharisees.

Boldly, he was telling them "you don't practice what you preach. He makes the comment that they "travel across sea and land to make one proselyte", and yet this proselyte becomes twice the "son of hell" that they themselves are.

In verse a five , Matthew talks about their need to wear phylacteries, citing that their desire is to be seen by men. In the streets of Jerusalem, I can't tell you how many phylactery wearing men I saw. But this morning, I thought, in our Christian world, do we not have a type of phylactery we wear? ....guilty.

Also , verse 23 caught my heart and eye.... "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

In the streets of old town Jerusalem,we visited the market. We saw a number of spice shops. Part of the temple experience was bringing spices to the alter area. Do we ever practice our particular kind of religion, leaving out justice and mercy, then feeling justified by a particular brand or methodology of religion! Isn't it deeper than that?

Read this and reflect on the photo below. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
My thought for the day is "what is Christ telling me in these passages, ......a lot ......