Pure and Holy
Daily Rays of Hope #157
Scripture For Today:
“It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” - Matthew 21:13 NIV
When we forget how powerful and intentional we can be in our worship, it's easy to consider the things we've built with our own hands to be common. We consider our homes to be common. We consider our churches to be common. We consider our bodies to be common.
However, we are not common. We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Churches are not intended to be common. Churches have a holy assignment to be places of worship. Likewise, our homes are to be a place where the Spirit of the Lord reigns. There is nothing common about it.
We see Jesus start to flip tables in this verse of scripture because the religious leaders of the time have allowed the house of worship and prayer to become a place where buying and selling occur. A market is set up in the middle of what is intended to be a place of worship. Jesus, in righteous anger, begins to flip the tables and destroy the market.
Be reminded that God has made you to be a center of worship and a source of praise unto Him. God has created you to lift up your voice and to lift Him up above all the noise and above all of the circumstances in the earth. He has made you with a voice and a heart that you may worship Him.
We are God's children, His chosen people, set apart for His good pleasure. Bearing this in mind, our lives, our homes, our bodies, and our houses of worship should be treated as holy places before the Lord. Holy temples with purity of heart and intention.
Three Practical Ways To Walk Out This Word Daily
1. Consecrate Your Space Daily
Whether it's your home, your car, your office, or your church building, begin the day by inviting the presence of God into the space. Speak life and worship aloud in your home. Set the tone for your environment to be one of peace, reverence, and prayer. Just as Jesus reminded the people that the temple was meant to be a house of prayer, let every space you dwell in become a sanctuary.
2. Guard Against Distractions and Profaning the Sacred
Be mindful of what you allow into your life that may be crowding out the sacred. This could include unhealthy media, conversations that do not honor God, or treating worship time casually. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognize and remove anything that is turning your life, your body, or your space into a "market" instead of a temple.
3. Restore Prayer as the Foundation
Make prayer the cornerstone of your day and your decisions. Not just a last resort, but your first response. If you lead others, remind them of the purpose of your gatherings. If you are a parent or spouse, lead your home in prayer. Keep the altar of your heart burning. Return to prayer again and again until it becomes your instinct rather than your backup plan.
Final Encouraging Thought:
You were never meant to be common. You are sacred, chosen, and set apart. Let your life reflect the holiness of God by making room for worship and prayer in every part of your day. As you lift Him up, He will cleanse every temple and restore your heart to purity and purpose.