One of our challenges for 2014 is to learn and live
all 50
commands of Jesus. Jesus told us that following his commandments
is a way to love him and a way for his love and his joy to fill our lives (John
15:9-12). In his Great Commission, Jesus tells his followers to make
disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything he commanded us
(Matthew 28:19-20). So each week in this year we are learning and living
one command of Jesus. Here is our command for this week...
Week 14:
"It is written," he said to them, " 'My
house will be called a house of prayer,' but
Application:
What word would you use to describe your house? Is it a clean house? A messy house? A nice house?
A modern house? A big house? A small house? A peaceful house? A fun house?
A busy house? A crazy house? There are so many
ways a house could be described. There
is one description that Jesus wanted to be true of God’s house, the temple: a
house of prayer.
In this passage, Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem. This was supposed to be a house of prayer - a
place to connect with God, a place to hear God’s truth, a place offer up gifts of gratitude to God, a place to be transformed and sent out on God’s
mission. Yet this was not the experience
people were having in the temple. Jesus
called it a “den of robbers.”
Here’s a little about what was going on. There weren't churches on every corner back
then like we have today. There was only
the one Temple in Jerusalem, so many people traveled far distances to go
there. Because they traveled so far, it
was not easy to bring offerings with them.
They did not offer up money in that time, but animal sacrifices. Dragging a live animal to sacrifice across
many miles would have been quite challenging.
So a solution was crafted.
Travelers would buy their animal sacrifices at the temple. But there was a catch. You could only use temple coins to buy the
sacrifices. Any other currency would
have to be exchanged for temple currency.
The exchange rates were hiked up to take advantage of these
travelers. Merchants also sold the
animals at high prices, further exploiting the worshipers. Merchants and money changers set up their
booths in the Court of the Gentiles, crowding out Gentiles (non-Jewish people)
who had come from all over the world to worship God.
Times have changed, but do we ever allow things to crowd out
God and other people? Do we ever focus
more on what we think is best for us rather than on what we think is best for
God and for other people? Do we ever
pursue our own gain more than the gain of God’s kingdom? Are we ever so busy with our daily interactions
that we forget about the most important interaction of all – our interaction
with God? I could answer “yes” to all of
these questions.
God wants his house to be a house of prayer. If that’s how God wants us to administer his
house, then I am thinking that’s how God would want us to administer our own
house. Would your house be described as a
“house of prayer”?
Our family has been talking about ways to make our house
a “house of prayer.” One thing we
started is praying together before I leave for work in the morning. This unites us all in prayer and focuses us
for the day. My 6-year-old son even
joins in the action.
I want my house to be a house of prayer. For how could I ever be the kind of husband,
father, pastor, and man that I desire to be unless my life is bathed in prayer,
unless my ears are attentive to the voice of God, unless my thoughts are
focused on the will of God, unless my heart is attuned to God’s presence,
unless my actions are constantly evaluated in light of God’s love and God’s
mission.
Morning prayer is a great start. This week I will be reflecting on how I can
make prayer a more intentional part of the time I spend in my office, in my
car, in my church, and in my house. How
can you make prayer a more intentional part of your daily life?
Share your comments and application ideas…
Share your comments and application ideas…
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