Septuagesima Week – Friday

My house shall be called the house of prayer. – Matt. 21:13.

On the morning after His entry into Jerusalem, Jesus, with His disciples, went from Bethany to the temple at Jerusalem.  And what did He behold?  The spacious courts of the temple resounded with the noisy tumult of a public fair.  Selling and buying were taking place in the temple. And Jesus, in righteous indignation and irresistible majesty, cast out all those that bought and sold in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of those that sold doves, saying to them: “It is written, ‘My house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13).

The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple; and He healed them.  And the children hailed Him, singing: “Hosanna to the Son of David” (v. 15). But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and heard the children crying in the temple, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were sore displeased and said to Jesus: “Hearest Thou not what these say?” (v. 16a).  And Jesus said unto them: “Yea; have ye never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?” (v. 16b).   And He left them, and went out of the city to Bethany; and He lodged there (v. 17).

All who name the name of the Savior, and who gladly hear His Word and worship Him, are not only to remember, but are to willingly follow the Savior’s words in John 2, where He said: “Make not My Father’s House an house of merchandise” (v. 16b).  This is our Savior’s clear will.  In response to His instruction, we have the great privilege of bowing to His counsel and instruction, confessing to Him: “Thy testimonies are my delight and my counselors” (Psalm 119:24); “Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:5).  We are in this world, not to do what we please, ignoring the plain instruction from the Word of our God, but we are here to live for Him who “died for [us] and rose again” (II Corinthians 5:15).

PRAYER – O my Lord and Savior, increase my love and zeal for Thy House, where Thy Word is preached and taught in its truth and purity, and where Thy name, Thy Word is honored and revered (Psalm 26:8).  Also increase my joy in being one of Thy followers, followers not of my own will, but ever more and more followers of Thy good and gracious will as set forth in Thy Word.  Grant that I may prize Thy Word more and more above every other treasure.  Hear me for Thy name’s sake.  Amen.

Savior, I follow on, guided by Thee; seeing not yet the hand, that leadeth me;

hushed be my heart and still, fear I no further ill; only to meet Thy will, my will shall be.

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Savior, I long to walk, closer with Thee; led by Thy guiding hand, ever to be;

constantly near Thy side, quickened and purified; living for Him who died, freely for me.

(Hymn 422, st, 1 and 4; TLH)