cleaning out the clutter

Jesus = brutal...

not something we generally associate with Jesus, the gentle Shepherd.

but brutal He was when He cleansed the Temple in Mark 11...overturning tables, scattering shekels, sending dove cages flying, even acting as a crossing guard - letting no one w/ goods take a short-cut through the temple to a different part of Jerusalem.

He said: "You've made it a den of thieves!"

God said: "You should make it a house of prayer - for all nations."

Jesus seemed to have to have two issues with what was going on:

1. commerce (there was ill-gotten gain goin on, according to Josephus)
   
2. short-cuts

so He dealt with both.

He cleansed the temple...He cleaned house...He set up a road blocks...

...He got rid of the clutter...

so that...the temple could be a place of communion, not commerce.

He wants to do the same thing today for you & me. He's wanting to clean house, clear clutter...but why?

let me suggest two reasons:

it's about: //1 His Design

//2 His Desire

He's designed us to need and want communion with Him, tho' we have a tendency grab hold of things that clutter up the courts.

amazingly, He also desires communion with us! us - with all our foibles, faults & failures. Creator-King desires fellowship & communion with His creation-subjects.

we need it - He desires it.

so when clutter starts doing its thing (cluttering & clogging), He starts doing His thing (cleaning & clearing). and He was brutal. no mercy for the clutter...but it was sweet mercy for the temple. if temples could sigh relief, no doubt it did that day! so will the temple of our hearts when open the door to the king of glory...that He may come in and commune with us.

what's clutter? it's anything (typically of the material, temporal realm) that clogs the flow of fellowship and communion with Jesus. it could be our toys (like cars, guitars, houses, etc), our pride in our job, our hobbies or activities, or even our busy-ness with good things like church, ministry, or service. basically, it's anything that stands in the way of enjoying our relationship with our Lord.

so, don't be shy - let Jesus be brutal with your clutter: the temple of your heart will breathe a mercy-filled sigh of relief.