By: Juliet Constantine
 

Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (John 19:45-46 NKJV)
 

It was meant to be a one stop shopping mall for persons wishing to have their sins removed from them. Since it was so much work to bring sacrificial offerings to the Temple, the Jews thought it was a wise move to have it all in one place where persons could just purchase as they desired. Businesses were thriving and negotiations were fierce. The noise level was deafening as trade ensued. Not even Wall Street could compete.

‘This can’t be Church,’ some thought, who were there to worship. They came to meet the Teacher who taught them so many things. But at this moment, the noise of commerce had His full attention. What was it He was doing? Could He really do those things? Wasn’t He afraid that He would be out numbered? It seems not, because people were running out of the Temple. The trading tables were being overturned and tossed out. Wow! So many afraid of the righteous anger of one man, Jesus Christ! He was livid when He said, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”

Imagine that – ‘a den of thieves.’ Church has become a ‘den of thieves’ instead of a ‘house of prayer’ for all people. If Jesus was here in our time, I wonder what He would say and do. Would He overturn the money changers of our churches? Would He dismiss some Pastors who enjoy such lavish lifestyles? Do you think that He would leave more of the tithes and offering in the local church? Would He change the emphasis from tithes and offering to a time to pray? I am sure, if He were here, we wouldn’t have Fish Fry and Block Drives; we wouldn’t have raffle tickets, car wash and begging sprees. Neither would we have bake sale nor lemonade stand. If Jesus was here, Church would be different as the emphasis wouldn’t be on the dollar, but on Him! He would be teaching us the way of salvation.

What is it like in your church? Have they become a ‘den of thieves’ or is it still a ‘house of prayer’? Like Jesus, we all can make a difference. We can do our part to keep God’s temple a house of prayer for all people. May God help us to stand for the right, though the heavens falls. It’s time we turn the emphasis back on God because His house is a house of prayer for all people.

Dear Father, at times we become so overly concerned with the minor and ignored the bigger need. We ask Your forgiveness. Please help us to realize that when hearts are right with You God, giving becomes natural, hence there would be no need for fund raising activities. Help us to grasp this vision we pray, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – At His Feet” Daily Devotional)