40 Days to the Cross - Day 2

During the Lenten season, I will share 40 Days to the Cross - events in chronological order from the last week of Jesus life.

Day 2
The House of Prayer
Scripture
Matthew 21:12-13 (HCSB) 12 Jesus went into the temple complex and drove out all those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’ tables and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, My house will be called a house of prayer. But you are making it a den of thieves!”
also Mark 11:15-18

Devotion
Jesus displays righteous indignation. We would just say He got angry. Thant may make you a bit uncomfortable – Jesus getting angry - but it is what it is. Jesus was angry. What makes Jesus angry?
Jesus is angered by the corruption of true worship.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus indicated that those who worship God should do so in spirit and truth. (John 4:24) here it seems that worship has been denigrated by those who change money in the outer court of the temple.
The practice started out, I am sure as a great “ministry” to those who needed to exchange their foreign currency for temple money to purchase sacrificial animals to worship God. However, it had turned into robbery as money changers would not give fair exchange.
But even with all of that, Jesus had a much more important concern. Jesus was concerned because the house of the Lord was supposed to be a house of prayer.
Jesus was angered because something had gotten in the way of prayer in the life of these worshippers.

So, now let’s get personal. What is it in your life that would anger Jesus? What is getting in the way of prayer in your life?

Questions
What is it? What keeps you from prayer?
How could you change something in your life – a habit, a place, something - that could make it easier to pray?
What will you do to make prayer a priority in your personal worship?

Prayer
Dear God: help me make prayer a priority in my life. Amen