Prayer Pal

Matthew 21: 12-14

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'"

The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.  

Jesus, You are my Refiner, Reformer, and Redeemer. Blessed is Your glorious name! The day I swung open the gate, allowed You to enter in, and crowned You King of my heart, You turned my whole world upside down for my good and Your glory. Stomping into enemy territory, You killed my bad temper, conquered my mean mouth, and cast out my pride. You drove out the buyers and sellers that corrupt my soul: covetousness, criticism, and complacency. You emptied out many nasty and naughty things: nagging and narcissism, negativism and niggardliness, haughtiness and hypocrisy. You toppled the tables of temptation and brought down the benches of bitterness. You cleared away all the idols, impurities and irreverence I had carried into Your holy house for my personal pleasure. Fortunately, You chastened me, but did not give me over to death. Forgiven and free, You lavishly adorned the glorious temple in my heart with boughs of love, ribbons of grace, garlands of gladness, roses of mercies, lilies of delight, and cords of gratitude. Lovingly, You opened my blind eyes to see the corruption and deception caused by my religiosity and pomposity. With eyes wide open, I saw how much You loved me when I realized how You died for me. Humbly, I exchanged the limping of my unbelief for the stability of faith. Now I am drawn to love You, to worship You, to walk with You, and to serve You in life, in death, and into eternity. Refined, reformed, and redeemed, I gladly bring my gold purified in the fires of suffering, offering it to You as a sacrifice of praise. Generously, I send the sweet aroma of my prayers for the nations heavenward to delight Your senses. Gratefully, I present to You my body as a living sacrifice - holy and pleasing to You. I joyfully give thanks to You, my King, because You have blessed me with the good things of Your holy house for the praise of Your glorious name. Amen.

Prepare your heart for Easter by allowing Jesus to topple the tables of temptation and benches of bitterness in the temple of your heart. Ask Him to reveal the buyers and sellers that are corrupting your soul. Allow Him to remove the idols, impurities and irreverence that rob Him of His rightful place of highest honor in your life. Ask Him to purify your heart and make it a holy house of prayer.