Cleaning with Jesus

Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”

Matthew 21:12-13

It's time to clean! Not the house, although that needs to be done too. It's time to clean my heart and mind. Sweep out all the useless stuff: anger, fear, impatience, self-doubt, selfishness, etc. These things take up space, energy and time. Just like the sellers and money changers in the temple they are robbing me of God's glory.

The divine came as Jesus to walk among us, show that God lives in us, wherever we are and whoever we are. God's home is in you and me; our bodies are the temple of God! If this is true, and I believe it is, than we must care for our bodies - mind, body and spirit. That means we need to clear our minds, bodies and hearts of those things that prevent us from knowing, feeling, being God's grace.

For me to know God's grace and share God's grace I must be a house of prayer. I mustn't let the robbers (anger, fear, selfishness) make their den in my heart, mind or body. When I pray I let Holy Spirit clean out all the junk which clears the temple, my body, opening me up to be the person God created me to be.

This is a daily pursuit as each day brings new challenges, allowing anger, fear, self-doubt, etc. to creep back in. Each day must start and end with prayer to keep the temple clean - to allow God to work in and through me.

Lord, this is the day you made and you made me for a purpose. Clear my body, mind, and spirit of those things that would rob me of Your glory. Fill my heart and mind with the love of Christ, the courage of Holy Spirit, and the mercy of God so that I may live into the person you created me to be. This I ask in the name of Jesus, your son and my savior. Amen.