Reading the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 2; John 2
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, I want to 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 earthly father’s honor and name?
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. 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) Like we read yesterday, in John 1:12-13, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (ESV)
Maybe I’m thinking about this extra as last year ended with my dad falling and breaking a vertebra in his back, and this year marks his 80th year of life. I want to honor this man in spite of all his shortcomings and imperfections. How much MORE ought I honor my perfect, almighty Heavenly Father who knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Let’s pray together with reverence, humility, and affection for our Holy Heavenly Father.
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 brought me into your kingdom, the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Heaven, delivering me out of the kingdom of the evil one.
By Your Holy Spirit, You have caused me to be born again as Your child. I once was lost, running away from You, turning 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.
Please, Father, bless my earthly father. Cause him to be born again to the living hope that is available to all Your children. Give him strength and hope and peace as he surrenders to Your perfect will.
In the matchless name of Jesus my Lord and Savior. Amen
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