The Essence of Prayer

# 614 - Today's Du-votional comes from: Mr 11:17-19 “Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. When evening had come, He went out of the city.

Jesus cleans out the Temple and then uses the temple properly. Namely for teaching. The church is to be a house of teaching the Word of God, and so the temple is properly called a “house of prayer.” A place of hearing the Word of the Lord and then responding to it. That is the essence of prayer!

Well, the people were just eating up the teaching of Jesus from the pure Word of God, and the leaders feared that they were going to be pushed out, so they now begin to earnestly seek ways to destroy Jesus, and since it was not yet His time Jesus leaves the city at night for His protection.

Though this event took place in a physical building, we should use it as an example for the new temple of the Holy Spirit...our individual heart. We ought to be willing to allow Jesus to enter our hearts and cleanse us from sin and all other distractions, on a regular basis, so that we too can better receive the astonishing teachings of Jesus.

Father, this is basic housecleaning for the followers of Your Son, let us never weary of it, and help us to never lose that sense of awe and astonishment of the teachings of Jesus.