Tag Archives: my house will be a house of prayer

April 15, 2025 · 5:53 AM

Clearing The Clutter

Mark 11:15-16 says, “When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace” (NLT). Just outside the Temple, there was a large open area called the Courtyard of the Gentiles. It was created so people who weren’t Jews could come to worship God, engage in theological discussions and encounter Him too. This area was filled with an open air marketplace with vendors yelling, livestock making noises and filled with the stench that comes with animals. Jesus was upset that an area God designed for people to engage with Him was filled with of chaos that distracted them from their purpose for being there.

In Luke 10:38-42 Jesus was visiting the house of Martha and Mary. While He was teaching the people, Martha was busy in the kitchen banging pans, moving chairs and serving people. Mary, however, sat at the feet of Jesus hanging on every word. Martha got upset that her sister wasn’t helping take care of everything and everyone. She asked Jesus to rebuke her sister and make her help, but Jesus replied, “Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions?” (TPT). Instead of worshipping, engaging in theological discussions and encountering God, she was not only distracted, but was creating a distraction. Instead of flipping tables, Jesus gently reminded her that she was missing an encounter.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world” (NLT). If you’re surrounded by chaos, busyness and distractions, it’s time to clear the clutter so you can encounter God. Like Mary, we need to make space to sit at His feet and listen. We need to flip over some tables in our lives that are distracting us from our purpose. God wants to have daily encounters with you. He’s created space. Have you? Find time to be still and honor Him. It won’t be easy, but as Jesus told Martha, it’s the most important thing. It needs to take priority over everything else. Let this Holy Week be the time you cleared the clutter and made room for Jesus.

Photo by Fahad Bin Kamal Anik on Unsplash

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March 26, 2024 · 5:32 AM

Undistracted Worship

If you’ve ever been to Rome, you have no doubt been to a piazza. If you haven’t been, there are the open spaces between buildings in an area where there are fountains, restaurants and usually a church. It’s a communal space where everyone tends to hang out. It would be very relaxing except that Rome is full of tourists and tourists bring sales people. As we tried to enjoy a stroll through one we were greeted by people launching little lighted up things in the sky. Others are walking by you with something in their mouth that squeaks. Others are approaching you with their wares calling out to you. Everyone and everything seems to be vying for your attention keeping you from the one reason the piazza is there for.

During Holy Week Jesus spent a lot of time in the Temple trying to teach and to worship. Because there were a lot of tourists in town for the festival, there were tons of vendors trying to sell things vying for each person’s attention. They were distracting people from the reason they were all in town in the place where everyone was supposed to be worshiping God. Jesus had enough of it and started flipping tables and whipping people throwing them out of the place of worship. In Matthew 21:13, He chastised them saying, “My dwelling place will be known as a house of prayer, but you have made it into a hangout for thieves!” (TPT) He removed the distractions and the clutter to redirect the people’s attention back to God and to the purpose of the House of Worship.

In like 10, Jesus was teaching in the home of Martha and Mary. Martha was distracted by everything that needed to be done to accommodate the group while May sat in worship listening to Jesus. When Martha complained, Jesus said, “Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.” Jesus wants you and I to be undistracted as we worship Him. What are the things you’ve allowed in your life that have cluttered it up and are distracting you from giving Him your full attention and worship? What tables need to be flipped so you can sit at His feet? Make this Easter a time where you get back to your purpose of worshipping Him undistracted and uncluttered.

Photo by Caleb Frith on Unsplash

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