Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Today’s Scripture Reading 
Matthew 21:12–17

Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became angry and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself’?” He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. (NRSV)

Reflection

This is my house. “As long as you live under my roof you will follow my rules.” We’ve all heard this as a child and perhaps even said it ourselves to our children. Frustrated parents driven to make such a statement and indignant children feeling they’re being unfairly treated.

This scripture shows us Jesus, our Father God incarnate, upset with his children (aka the merchants and buyers) for breaking the rules. Sometimes when subtle requests and reminders don’t work a blatant display of authority is required.

During Jesus’ ministry, God repeatedly showed God’s power through compassion and healing and never asked anything of us that he would not do himself. But we, exercising the free will given to us, have a tendency to poke the benevolent bear, don’t we?

Prayer

Gracious, loving, and forgiving God, thank you for having given us free will. Thank you for gently nudging us onto the right path when we stray. And thank you for being firm with your authority when we are insolent. May we strive to follow in the perfect ways of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Written by Toni Yang, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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