How do you approach the Lord?
When you have a question about your life, or something you don't fully understand, what is your posture when you ask Jesus something?
Are you really looking for what Christ has to say, or are you simply asking him to confirm what you want? Is your motive to find his heart and direction for your life, no matter the cost, or do you have a hidden, underlying motive?
Reading Mark 11:27 -33 this morning,
"They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?"
Jesus replied, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!"
They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 32 But if we say, 'Of human origin' …" (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."
Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
Notice how even though these men were questioning the authority of Christ, he still gave them an opportunity to get real with him. Basically he was saying, "Is this really a conversation about sincerely getting to know me? Or is this something else?"
In their refusal to engage in an honest conversation with Jesus, they lost the opportunity know him better.
Questions are never the issue, but the motive behind the question is everything.
