John 2

Jesus entered into the temple and drove away all those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, as well as the money changers doing business in the temple. He must have made quite a mess, pouring out the changers’ money and overturning tables, and exclaiming, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” (John 2:16)

The temple of God ought to be a holy place. It is a place of worship to God. However, if we allow secular activities to have their place within the temple, not only do we find it difficult to worship God wholeheartedly, it is also disrespectful to God.

The Bible tells us that our body is the temple of God, having the Spirit of God dwelling in us (1 Cor 3:16) and this record of Jesus cleansing the temple reminded me about us cleansing our own temple of God.

Have we kept our temple free from oxen, sheep, and doves that are sold in the marketplace? Have we kept the money changers away? These things may mean different things to different people. Whatever it may be, when we start to find our temple messy, we need to make the effort to cleanse it. Throw away the things that should not be there. Organise the things that should remain. Sometimes, we may even need to use a whip to drive out unwelcomed guests. It may be painful, but it will be worth it. What you will get in the end is a nice and clean temple. It is a place where the Holy Spirit will be pleased to dwell in.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear (Isaiah 59:2)

Let us cleanse our hearts before God, so that He may enter in. Just as In Hymn 360, while we have room for pleasure and room for business, do we also have any room for Jesus?