Monday
Greetings, and welcome to Monday of Holy Week. Would you pray with me? God of love, joy peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, prepare our hearts to hear Your voice. Good Shepherd, we are Your sheep and we long to hear Your voice. Speak, Lord. Your servants are listening.
The Scripture is Luke 19:45-48. “Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, saying to them, “It is written, ‘and my house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a robbers’ den.” And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to destroy Him, and they could not find anything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to every word He said. (Lk. 19:45-48)
Let’s respond to God’s Word, with our own words in prayer.
Lord Jesus, when we are saved we become many things: heirs of the Father, joint heirs with the Son, sons and daughters of God, ministers and priests. But Lord, we also become temples – temples of the Holy Spirit. Temples of You. As magnificent as Solomon’s temple was, the Christian is even more so. For Solomon’s temple was never bought with the blood of the Lamb of God. But I am! In Solomon’s Temple there was a Holy of Holies, where Your glory dwelt. But all of me can be filled with Your Spirit and glory.
Lord, if You were zealous for the physical temple, how much more are You zealous for me? If Solomon’s temple was to be a “House of prayer”, how much more am I to be a house of prayer – and Your church? Lord, those who were selling, were making it hard for others to pray. May I ask You, Lord, what or who are the money-changers in my life? What is keeping me or my church from being a house of prayer?
Lord, I pray, enter me, Your Temple. Bring Your whip and Your anger. I welcome them. Come, and cast out of my heart and life anything that does not come from and lead to prayer. Forgive me, my Lord. I fall so short here. I am easily turned into a house of worry or distraction. Your Word says, “Pray without ceasing.” Lord, help me. I long to be Your House of Prayer that brings You glory. I have so far to go. Come into Your temple, Lord. Do what needs to be done.
And Lord, if we have not already told You, we love You. We really do.