Resilient: Becoming Faithful in an Upside Down World

posted by Megan Oates | Mar 23, 2022

3.23


John 2:13-22

https://my.bible.com/bible/116/JHN.2.13-22.NLT  


Today, we read the infamous story of Jesus clearing the temple. His righteous anger and “Passion for God’s house” drove out all of the people using the temple as a marketplace. If we’re honest, just like the people in the temple making transactions, we try to make transactions with God in our prayer lives. We come with our own agendas in an attempt to negotiate with the God of the universe. However, just as Jesus desired for the people to use the temple for what it was made for (worshiping), God desires for us to use prayer for what it is made for (relationship).


One of the main points in this passage is that Jesus was confronting wrong behavior within the temple and making it right. How can we imitate Jesus in this way in our own churches and friend groups?


There are times when we come before God in our prayers and find ourselves bargaining with Him. It can be a natural human response in seasons of distress. Right now, take some time to just speak words of thanks and praises to God without expecting anything in return.