This week's woman of the Bible in our ladies study was Herodias, the infamous woman who told her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. This woman was filled with wrath and a lust for power that rivaled Jezebel's. We are never told what happened to her but I don't imagine she met with a good end...or a good eternal destination.
In reading the story of Herod and Herodias my interest was stirred when I looked at the relationship Herod Antipas had with John the Baptist. Herod knew that John was a good and holy man, and he respected John. Yet that's as far as it went. John told Herod what was right and wrong. He told Herod what God desired, and what God abhorred. I can only think that deep down Herod knew he was wrong in marrying Herodias. He may have respected John, but he didn't listen and believe enough to change his heart. He didn't go any further than mild curiosity. Matthew 14, Mark 6
Herod also had an opportunity with Jesus Himself. He had heard about Jesus and was delighted at the opportunity to see Him for himself. He was curious and wanted to be entertained. But even with hearing John and seeing Jesus, Herod's only goal was to satisfy his curiosity and gain favor with the people. He never let either man's message reach his heart. Luke 23:7-12 7 When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time. 8 Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. 9 He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. 10 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 12 (Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)
This all made me think of other's in the Bible that were curious about Jesus, but never seemed to go beyond that (That we know of, but maybe we will be surprised when we get to Heaven). The first that came to mind was Felix and his Jewish wife Drusilla. Many times he listened to Paul's story and heard the truth about Jesus. But it seems he never turned his heart to God. The same could be said of Governor Festus, King Agrippa and his wife Bernice. All listened to Paul. All had a curiosity about him and his claims, but it seems that none made a true commitment to Christ. These stories can be found in Acts 24-26
Who had a bigger opportunity than Pilate? He had a personal audience with Jesus Himself. He knew Jesus was innocent by listening to him and because his wife had told him she was warned in a dream. He listened to Jesus and was in the very Presence of God Himself. Did he ever go beyond political expediency and intellectual curiosity to true salvation? We will not know in this lifetime.
How about you? Is your relationship with the Lord based on saying a prayer and then just living your life as you were doing? Is it based on an intellectual agreement but not on a heart commitment? Do you spend time seeking His face? Learning His desires? Do you spend time in His Presence in prayer and study of the Scriptures? Or do you say a quick prayer before bed and occasionally watch a TV preacher...basing your faith on someone else's work and relationship with the Lord? All of us need to drink deeply of the Living Water, Jesus Christ. John 7:37-38 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
We are looking for a deep, abiding relationship with Jesus, not a passing acquaintance. One of my favorite verses is Revelation 3:20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. This verse speaks of opening our hearts to Jesus and spending time with Him as a friend. Time together. Fellowship. Sharing life with Him. And He with us. I can picture this as a time of laughter, talking, and sweet comfort. This is not a quick pray and goodnight. It's a time of togetherness, of bonding.
I felt really impressed to share this visit here. God wants people to come into relationship with Him, not just be mere visitors. He wants family. He wants us to be that family.
Lord, give us hearts to go past intellectual knowledge of You. Go down to our hearts and souls and spirits. Let us open up to You completely and do what we need to do to be in this loving relationship with You. We don't want a passing acquaintance, but a living, breathing fellowship with You our Creator and Savior. Convict us if we are treating You casually, as a curiosity and not the King of the Universe Who loves us and desires our company. I pray this in Jesus Name, amen.
Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
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