As you can see, I am trying to do things a little differently this week. No funny stories or TOP TEN lists (but please come back--I have some really fun stuff planned!!) No crafty, cooking--or even decorating update today... (Not to sound too cheesy...but) today, I want to work on decorating my soul.
And if this all looks familiar. I am re-posting this from last year's Easter week. I hope you don't mind. If you've been following my blog lately, you'll remember that I've been with my dear friend and her family this weekend. I just got back this afternoon from a loooong road trip with some girlfriends. We left Dallas this morning at 5 am. I bet you didn't think I ever saw what 5 am looked like, did you? Well, there's a first time for everything... So, I'm re-posting these Easter Week thoughts. These words about Day 2 of Easter Week just seemed appropriate.
In honor of the Holy Week of Easter, I want to spend that time here reflecting, slowing down, and preparing my heart for what God wants me to learn this Easter season.
I know I need to do this all year long.
Sometimes in the busyness, I don't take time for the important. Only the urgent.
And for me, this holiday is the most important.
Eternally important.
Day 2 - Cleansing the Temple
In Jesus' last week on Earth, the 2nd day of the week--Tuesday, by our calendar--Jesus went to the Temple. Before He even got inside, He took care of some important business. You see--in the holiest of places for the Jews, Gentiles had set up booths to sell animals for sacrifice to the Jews. You know--kind of like a fair where the hawkers are calling out, taunting you to their booth, with the promise of something wonderful, but the reality of taking your hard-earned money.
Before Jesus could even enter the Temple, He had to make his way through the greedy hawkers and money changers, who were cheating the Jews trying to buy sacrifices and getting their money changed for an offering.
Jesus took care of the important before entering the Temple. He fashioned a whip out of some cords, and drove out the animals, overturned the tables of the money changers, and scattered their coins.
"Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"
You know, that is just like ME in some ways. (Not the Jesus part...the hawkers part.) Before something can sink deep into my heart, I have to get rid of all of the noise and JUNK around me. Before God is able to whisper into my heart, sometimes He has to get my attention to cleanse the distractions--the sin--that is in the way first.
That is my prayer on Day 2...that God would reveal the JUNK, the sin, that is in the way of my heart being changed.
And I pray that for you, too. What is surrounding you, that is keeping your heart tucked away and hardened?
Are you willing to release the chains? To be set free?
Will I let Christ cleanse my temple, so He can enter in?
