Dayspring Blog

  In this time of Holy Week I would bring to the

attention of the church one of the less addressed issues that concerned

Jesus.

  It is often thought the reason Jesus cleansed the Temple was only about money.

I assure you it was not. The Jewish officials were guilty of excess profiteering when they exchanged currency

for the "approved' Temple currency. They were not honoring God's Word by selling only sacrifices they had preapproved for use in the Temple.

 The Church of today has a bad habit of dismissing the importance of what Jesus said because we, by and large,

think we have no traditions or customs like these.  Let us consider the real issue. This commerce and the attending noise and confusion was occurring in the outer court of the Temple-the only place Gentile converts to Judaism were allowed to

come and pray. Hence the words "Is it not written, "my house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer?"(Mark 11:17)

 I call upon the Church of today to examine itself and determine its own commitment to prayer. Are our altars always

open for prayer? How much of our worship services are devoted to prayer? Do we, by virtue of our customs and traditions, limit peoples ability to come to an altar and pray? Is our need to "take care of the business of the church" impeding the opportunity of others to pray?

 I can remember as a child attending what was called a midweek "prayer meeting" but the truth is prayer was what was done least at those meetings.

From the start of Jesus' ministry (John 2:13-17) to its end peoples ability to pray in His house was a  chief concern.

Something to consider.

Author:  Dr. Ralph Detillian  3/28/21