June 17, 2019

June 17

Running with Jesus

Luke 19:45-46 “And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought, Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

     I was meditating on this verse and I thought about what was going on in the temple and we all know they were set up to sell the sacrificial animals and were selling lame animals,  cheating, and taking advantage to make a living off travelers who had come to town for the Passover. The temple became more important for business than for the intended purpose.  The purpose of the temple was a place where God met with man and communed with Him.  A time of making atonement for their sin and seeking to hear from God and listen to the word being explained how God wants us to live.

     Prayer is essential to our spiritual life as breathing is to our physical life.  As I thought on this I wonder how our temple today is being used.  We read in the word our body is the temple of God.  Have we become more obsessed with selling and buying than praying? When Jesus walks around in the rooms of our hearts is He pushed way back in a corner and our physical business is getting more priority than hearing from God.  You know God wants to be the center of our lives and help us run all areas of our lives. Does Jesus have to turn tables over in our hearts before we are willing to listen to Him?  We get into so much trouble because we do not pray and talk to God.

     If prayer is our life line to God, why are we not praying more in our Churches?  We are busier with our own activities, plans, and programs.  Think not? Well plan a prayer meeting which gets more attendance. Would you go? Prayer is both talking to God and listening to God. We should spend more time listening.  Our schedules are so full when we go to church we only listen a few minutes then our mind is off to think on our agendas. We don’t get much out of a message and I bet most don’t pray before they go to church or God to speak to them.  We don’t pray for our service, pastor, or teachers to have a word for us.  We pray only when we want something.  What has taken over your temple?

 Father, help us not make our temple a den of thieves.  Help us all get serious about praying.  We need prayer more than ever before in our land. Forgive us and help us talk to You and listen to You for guidance.

Killing Jesus, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015