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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Change

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- "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."-Matthew 21: 12-13

Jesus is fed up.  He is observing the commercial abuses taking place outside of the Jerusalem Temple and he is not going to take it anymore.  So he takes action.  Often, I think people tend to imagine Jesus as very passive, calm and gentle.  Not so on this day!  He tore through the courtyard of the gentiles, where the moneychangers and sellers of animals did their business; tossing over tables, upsetting chairs and castigating them for their exploitation of God.  He was angry, and he lashed out.  And this is what got Jesus in trouble back then, and what continues to get his followers in trouble today; sometimes the status quo is just not acceptable to those who follow God. 

This has happened numerous times in history when we, Jesus' followers, have become inspired and incensed and stood up to the powers that be.  This insistence on change led to, among other things, the Reformation, the end of slavery in America, the end of Apartheid in South Africa, and many other injustices large and small.  But it does not happen enough.  There are things in this world and in our lives that need to be overturned; things that have gone on long enough.  The large problems of this world can feel intractable, so think simply of your own life.  You know where the problems are; where you are falling short.  You know what needs to change.  Perhaps today is the day to shout out, "enough!"  Perhaps today is the day to allow Christ to unsettle the status quo which has fallen upon your life like a choking fog; preventing you from growing and evolving as his follower.  Today, why don't you allow Jesus to unsettle you?  It is time for change. 

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Prayer:  Holy God, help me to change.  I invite you into my life to unsettle my life.  Please help me to see what I need to change to better follow you.  I thank you and I love you.  I pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.

[Phil Blackburn, First Presbyterian Church]

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