Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading
Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.
Devotional
Not only does holy grieve, but holy also gets angry. We see this when Jesus clears the temple. He purged the temple in fulfillment of the prophecy in Malachi 3:2, confronting religious corruption that profited at the expense of the poor and the foreigner.
Imagine yourself in the temple that day. How would you have felt about Jesus in the temple that day if you were a Gentile? A moneychanger? A religious leader?
What causes holy anger in you today? Ask God what he wants you to do with your anger.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God. Micha 6:8
Question to Consider
Jesus went to the temple every year since he was born and witnessed corruption. Why do you think He waited so long to address the injustice?
Prayer
Dear Jesus please show me today what breaks your heart and what you would have me do about it. That I may act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with you today.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
The 40 days of decrease blogs have been inspired by the book “40 Days of Decrease” by Alicia Britt Chole.
Expressions from Summerside Community Church 