Church family,
Matthew 21:13 (ESV) He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”
This verse in Matthew came to my mind this morning. The focus is the part, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’. In the context, Jesus came into the temple and was angered by what He found. The place that was supposed to be for the worship and praise of Israel’s God, had become a ‘den of robbers.’ The place intended to be about the glory of God, had become a place about the glory of man.
As I am reflecting, I am also thinking of our modern places of worship where the body of Christ gathers. What is the focus? Is it clear that God is the one we are worshiping? Is what we are doing more about His glory and fame, or more about our preference and comfort?
I realize that the ‘house of God’ is no longer a building. Since Pentecost, those who have trusted Christ as Savior have become the house of God (1 Corinthians 6:19). But the focus of the body of Christ should reflect the same things. What should be the ‘main things’ in the House of God? Let me suggest prayer, helping/ministering to others, dependence of the Holy Spirit, and praise as a starting point for the focus in God’s house. Notice that this list is about His praise and glory, not ours.
May our lives as God’s children and our gatherings be a reflection of His praise & glory!
Walking with you,
Pastor Brian