Monday has arrived, and on the road to Jerusalem there are palm branches left laying on the ground drying out, left from Sunday’s impromptu celebration. This is now Monday and there is work for Jesus to do for Friday is coming. In Matthew 21:12-13, we find these words…
“12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.'”
Matthew 21:12-13, NIV
Jesus has come to clean things up in our world. Sin has soiled every aspect of life and still does today. Jesus begins this week by cleaning up His own house, the temple. Greed had made His house a mockery. People who came to worship found their worship being taken advantage of by those who wished to make a quick profit. This caused the people’s worship to become cluttered, tainted, and diminished. Irritation replaced the joy of worshipping the Lord, and Jesus was righteously indignant because of it. What things have we allowed to clutter our true worship of the Lord? Is there joy in our hearts as we come before Him in worship? Maybe there are some tables that need to be turned over in our lives… some attitudes or actions changed. Whatever it is, Jesus, cleanse our temples so we can truly worship you in the beauty of holiness. Amen!