Passion Week Day 1

already hungry and feeling weak, but i can feel something coming to life..

Monday
righteous anger, fury. the house of God turned into a place where people are buying and selling, corruption in a holy place - the house of prayer made into a den of robbers. how much sadness Jesus must have felt to see that His people were effectively choosing money over the presence of God, choosing to succumb to greed and materialism within the house of the Lord. and then i look at my own heart - how many times have i chosen this world and its tempting offers over the only One who can satisfy? how many times, in fact, have i done this in the context of church - allowing the banner of serving Him to mask my sin, however unconsciously done? i am just as guilty as the moneychangers and sellers in the temple; i have allowed sin to inhabit and defile the temple that God intended to build in my heart. i need the kind of righteous anger that Jesus had toward this sin - i need to throw it out of my heart, not just be complacent about it, and allow Jesus to begin building again in my heart. Lord, come make this heart a temple for Your presence.

Oh Lord, my heart longs to be
A habitation fit for thee
A place where peace reigns and love can flourish,
A heart where You can feel at home

Oh Lord, I want to be like You
My tongue to speak the words You do
My hands to stretch forth in healing others
My feet to carry the good news

That You are God, You're the Way
You're the Truth and You're the Life
King of Kings, Lord of Lords
Prince of Peace, Lord Jesus Christ
And by Your shed blood, the great Redeemer
You saved my soul, You paid the price
You saved my soul, now take my life