Den of Robbers

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21:12‭-‬13‬ 
[12] 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. [13] “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.’”

What is there in my own temple that has become what it shouldn't be? The money changers and merchants capitalized on opportunity from the need the temple presented. Their services weren't unneeded but sorely misplaced and misdirected. What in my own life has become my money changers? Something that is a good thing, even a necessary thing, but misplaced in its importance and distracting from what my temple is called to do? 

If I am called to be a house of prayer, am I worrying? Do I sit and overthink? Am I attempting to fix things on my own or allowing my relationship and communication with the Father to lead and dictate my actions?

If I am to be a house of prayer, do I lead with prayer, or do I turn to others for guidance first? Do I allow them to step in with their human wisdom when my Father is the one that should be leading? 

Being a house of prayer does not equal distractions from my purpose. It doesn't mean allowing even the good things in life to distract from the purpose of what He's intended for me.

In this passage, Jesus is angry because they have tainted what is a holy place, something set apart, and cheapened it to be merely a marketplace. He calls it 'a den of robbers'. What have I allowed to come in and degrade this temple that He built?

Do I rely on others through the process of selling what's needed from me and changing myself to fit humanity's mold? Do I allow someone else to dictate my worth and rob me of the value He sees in me? Do I sell myself short in how I view this temple and the gifting He's already provided?

" 'My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it 'a den of robbers'."

Can I be called 'a house of prayer? Or am I more like 'a den of robbers'?

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