Throwing out your business

Jeremiah had begun delivering his message, which made for uncomfortable listening. Some of his listeners may have chosen a side entrance to avoid hearing Jeremiah’s words. However, Jeremiah was just warming up to his topic. Jeremiah continued, “You trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered so we can continue doing all these detestable acts”? Has this house, which is called by My Name, become a den of thieves in your eyes?” (Jeremiah 7: 9-11).  Who wants to go to a worship service and have someone confront them with accusations of wrongdoing? When you go to worship, you are seeking fellowship with God and other believers. If you are experiencing hard times, you want to lay down the burdens of your heart and hear words of comfort and hope. Above all, you want to forget about the messy outside world, if only for a few hours. Here was Jeremiah spoiling things, by bringing the world to the gates of the temple.  However, the Lord has a habit of getting into people’s face, getting into their business and stepping on their toes, in order to save them. The Lord interrupted Balaam’s journey to Moab and spoke to him through a donkey, when he was on his way to selling the word of God for personal profit (Numbers 22: 22-34). The Lord shone His spotlight on Saul, when Saul was on the road to Damascus thinking that he was fulfilling the will of God by persecuting believers (Acts 9: 1-9). Jesus went into the temple, turned over the tables of the traders and quoted Jeremiah’s words, as He declared that His house had become a den of thieves. The people were outraged. However, after Jesus had thrown out the traders, He brought in the people on the outside, people who needed healing and He healed them (Matthew 21: 12-14). Does He need to confront you as you worship, and ask you some serious questions? Does He need to throw out our priorities, so that He bring in His, and heal and renew all who enter His house?