After our Lord Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a colt, Jesus went to the temple and became very angry at the people who were buying and selling animals for sacrifices because they turned the temple of God into a market and not a place of prayer and worship. Jesus then drove them out of the temple and told them that the House of God should be the House of Prayer (John 12:17). When the religious leaders heard about what happened in the temple, they began looking for ways to kill Jesus. Although the religious leaders knew that what they were doing was wrong, they did not want to repent because they had lost their hearts for God. They should have led the people to worship God properly, but instead, they became a bad example for the people. As a result, many people followed their ways.
The problem with the religious leaders was that their relationship with God was based on performance. They believed that they could treat the temple as a market and make money from the people, and God would still accept them as long as they were doing their religious duties. However, Jesus rebuked them; as a result, they tried to get rid of Him. Jesus came to show us the way and lead us to our Heavenly Father. The way to God is not through performance but through a genuine faith in Him that requires surrender. Just as Jesus cleansed the temple by making it a marketplace, He also cleansed our hearts from our sinful ways. A genuine relationship with God is not based on performance but on our faith in Jesus alone.
As we genuinely put our faith in Jesus, our Lord Jesus continues to change our hearts, and the more we surrender our life to Him, the more He changes our hearts and makes us the people He wants us to be.
Ask yourself these questions: Am I willing for Jesus to change my life? Am I willing to surrender everything to God?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for saving me. Would you please help me to follow you with a genuine heart? I do not want to walk in sin, but I want to walk in your righteousness. Please forgive me for all the sins I have done, cleanse me from all my sins, and change my heart to do what is pleasing to you. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.