December 24, 2013
My House
We cheer when Jesus overturned the tables of the
money changers and the benches of those selling doves in the temple courts. He
chastised their activity by quoting Scripture, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a ‘den
of robbers.’” (Matt 21:13 NIV) I’m now thinking about our homes. In the
name of hospitality, and keeping the peace in the family, many of us have
allowed others to occasionally bring their lifestyle into our homes -
homosexuality, alcoholism, coarse language, grudges, bitterness, etc. Maybe
it’s time for some of us to clean house and reclaim our own temple-homes. “But
if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this
day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the
River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me
and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15 NIV)
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----This morning, I was reading about a couple who decided to clean their house. They had a very, very big house, and they heard that a very, very bad thing had happened in it. Now, as things happening and bad heard goes, a thing did happen, and bad it was. But bad by whom, and bad in what way can often get distorted and stretched to fit the secret animosities of hearers and whisperers alike. That the very, very bad part of the happening was also very, very not was very, very lost in the darkness of very, very biased feelings.
-----So it was this way the couple accused the whole family for what only one could have done, if only one did do anything. All doubt was cast aside for animus; confession was gained by arm twisting; and if there were a judge or jury in the matter, it was a thumb-screw. For the couple and all the other residents of the very, very big house had always felt the family was guilty of something.
-----The couple decreed the family had to leave. They decreed they could take none of their gold or silver or any other possessions of worth. “Get your rag clothes and get out by August first!” they shouted.
-----The family’s leader went to the couple with one of it’s wisest men, a man who had even helped the couple gain a wealthy land overseas. They took a big bag of gold and silver and pleaded their family’s innocence and for the couple’s mercy. They had nowhere to go, and going nowhere destitute would mean many certain deaths. For some of the family were old, and others were simply not healthy, as birth and life often go.
-----The couple heard and considered. They sympathized, maybe helped by the treasure bag. They looked at each other and thought deeply that maybe they were being too harsh. Or that maybe even the family wasn’t guil…SLAM! The butt of the cross hammered their thoughts beside the bag of silver and gold. A bony finger pointed at the figure of Jesus yet nailed thereto.
-----”For silver and gold, you sell Him!” shouted Tomas de Torquemada. Like doves fleeing the hawk, Ferdinand and Isabella’s sentiments immediately flew to their more natural senses. And that August 1 of 1492 the Jews began a hard and frightful trek from their homes, penniless, unto somewhere, wherever, dying along the way.
-----It is greatly important that the home be kept pure. It is greatly real that purity has not to do with culture and ideologies alone. A heart south of the crossroads can’t be fully discerned while it is motionless. Its northward regression would be good. Yet, should there even then be patience? The Left-Hand Path is an option at any crossroad. The purity of the house needs a door at some point down both the Left-Hand Path and the southward road. But its purity even more is abiding and committed love properly positioning those doors upon wisdom, understanding, and God's Word humbly reasoned.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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