Reading the Bible in 2 years: John 2:13-3:21

"And he told those who sold the pigeons, 'Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.'"
John 2:16 ESV

In reading through the book of John, pay attention to how many times Jesus talks about God as His Father. In today’s reading, Jesus was angry when He saw His Father’s house being treated as a house of trade. Do I have this same kind of zeal for my father’s honor and name?

It reminded me of the time in Luke 2:49 where Jesus told his parents “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

And how about John 14:2 where Jesus is telling his disciples about heaven, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”

Jesus is uniquely the only begotten Son of God – conceived by the Holy Spirit in a virgin’s womb. Fully God and fully man. He was in the beginning with His Father God without beginning or end.

But what an honor it is to be able to call Almighty God our Father as Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9) Let’s pray together with this kind of reverence and humility as well as intimacy and courage.

Heavenly Father,

What a joy and honor it is to call you father. I haven’t earned it. I don’t deserve it. It is not by my will nor is it by my blood or the blood of my earthly parents. But it is by Your will and through the cleansing blood of Jesus, that I have been adopted into Your family. You have brought me into Your house. Truly, Your banner over me is love.

You brought me into your house, though I was Your enemy. I was broken, unworthy, and lame like Mephibosheth (2 Samuel).

You have brought me into your kingdom, the kingdom of God, out of the kingdom of the evil one.

You have caused me to be born again as Your daughter by Your Holy Spirit.

And now, as Your child, I love the light. I once was lost, running away from You with my back to You. I was an enemy of God, loving darkness and hating light.

But You have changed me and made me a child of light. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you

I pray that I would have zeal for Your name and Your kingdom like Jesus did. Help me to love what You love and hate what You hate. Make me pure and holy, that Your light may shine brightly out of me.

In the pure and matchless name of Jesus I pray. Amen