Create in me a clean heart, O’ God, and renew a right spirit within me. — Psalm 51:10
During these dark days, with our country losing control, with one man who we shall call an Antichrist, Number 45, a former president of the United States, running the United States from the sidelines, it is not a good situation! Let me stay focused on my message for today.
My Mother! April 1 was her earthly birthday, and Dec. 25, 2000, was her heavenly birthday. For 73 years, she lived, preached, prayed and helped others, but most importantly, she cared for her family. When spring arrived, she would remind us, “It’s a new season.” She wanted us to be sure to remember her annual “spring cleaning” weekend. She would put every child to work on that first weekend of spring, every year. We had to rake the yard, we washed windows, inside and out, she didn’t repaint the inside of our home, she made us wash down fingerprints from the walls and doors, you name it. As the old saying goes, every man who had a hand, had a right. We did it as a family.
Yet, when it was all over, we could breathe a sigh of relief. It felt good for everything to be so clean! The clean smell of furniture polish, window washer, and scented detergents, including bleach. Everything was spotless. You know the saying, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” When we grow up cleaning for spring, we pretty much will keep that tradition going throughout our entire lives — I know I have.
This reminds me of the Bible story of when Jesus was cleaning the temple. Let us compare and contrast the spring cleaning of our home to the cleansing of the temple.
Jesus made everyone get out of the house of God, and cleansed it of its corruption and disorder. He stood against the sinful trappings which worked their way into the House of Worship. The practices of the people of His day were under attack, and in order to make the temple pure and holy again, Jesus cleaned house, as they say today!
Allow that story to speak to your soul, take a moment to look more closely, paying special attention to how this story speaks to us today. It begins, “The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem …” (John 2:13)
During Passover, they were celebrating how so many homes that had a blood stain over the door had been spared. These were Jews who felt thankful for being saved, however, the crowds would enlarge to three times the normal size. Just think, then and now, during the Passover season, folks are shopping, buying new clothes, shopping for all of the children, getting them all something new to wear for Easter Sunday. But somehow, they lost control at the space inside the temple.
In the new testaments of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus accuses the merchants of cheating the people. He says, “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves.” (Matthew 21:13)
Perhaps there were some merchants who were raising their prices, but this is not the focus of Jesus’ anger, according to John. As far as John is concerned, Jesus is upset because all this buying and selling intruded upon the sacred space for worship. In John’s gospel, Jesus says, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” (John 2:16).
This is a good example of how good intentions often get out of hand; for example, one merchant who had pure intentions set up a small table in the corner of the temple, hoping that a few worshipers might stop by on their way home and maybe buy a couple items, then another businessman does the same thing, then another and another, until, before you know it, the temple was turned into a small shopping area.
Remember as you clean your home, be sure to include cleansing your temple — your body is indeed a temple. Fast, pray and think of God and all of His goodness; maintain control. We have all been indoors, for the most part, for most of the winter season!
Spring is here, and it is definitely a new season!
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, visit her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on Twitter @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.
