Dear <<First Name>>,

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. “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

This episode has always bothered me. The gentle Jesus in my mind goes into the Temple and starts making a mess and driving out money changers and the "sacrifice" salesmen. I can understand his passion against the injustice, but His actions shock me each time I read it. So I have to back up. 

Jesus had been to the Temple many times in His life. On this day, "His" day of recognition and triumph, He wanted to make a statement. He was being heralded as the coming King, He was healing the blind and the lame, and a new generation of children was rising up to recognize Him as the Christ. On this day, the hearts would be prepared. 

Visitations like this don't come often in our lives, but they do come. Jesus may seem to overlook something that is taking place in your temple. He has always been concerned, even despising it, yet He allows us to go on replacing our personal desires for devotion of Abba. Then, one day, our lives are turned over. Health, relationships, priorities, have to shift back to our purpose and destiny. We must return to calling out to Him. 

If you have an area in your life where you know the Lord has been glaring at in His visits with you, you have two choices. Remove the offense from your temple, or wait for the flipping of the tables. Return to your "house of prayer" and stop robbing your life with your actions. Don't hide from Him. It will not help. 

I have had my tables flipped many times in my walk. Each time is a revelation of new thing He wants to do through me. When we are cleaned out, He can perfect His work and ministry in us and allow us to model to the next generation of worshippers. 

Here is reading for the weekend: