In Mark 11 Jesus is entering the temple, the cross is days away. Crowds surround him everywhere but the leaders hate him and want to kill him.
As he comes into the court of the Gentiles he starts tossing tables, overturning benches and preventing people from carrying goods through the temple courts. It is here amongst this conflict that he says something that has and will continue to challenge me.
Mark 11:17 "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' ? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"
My house will be called a house of prayer.
The temple of God where the people of Israel were meant to go and worship. Where they were required to make sacrifices. Where the Levites served and kept the fires burning.
It is here that Christ lays down the importance of Prayer. He could have said worship, sacrifice, praise, service but he doesn't this house is to be a house of prayer.
I've been learning over this past year just how powerful prayer can be. Not only in my life but in the lives of others. Back in India we were working with orphans with special needs. One day we were taking the kids out for a boat trip so they could get out of the house and have some fun.
As we loaded up the vans one of the boys started resisting and hitting himself. Something he did fairly often when he didn't want to do something or new people got to close. It was suggested to just leave him behind but they put him in the van anyway. He was in the seat in front of me and as he sat there he continued to hit himself and scream. I placed my hands around his head to soften the self inflicted blows. He persisted anyway no matter what we did. Then I got the urge to pray.
I placed my hand on top his head and prayed.
For peace to overwhelm him, for the Holy Spirit to fill him, that any force physical or spiritual that might be causing him to hit himself would flee his body. I prayed for a few minutes covering him in the love of the Father.
Then he stopped.
His hands rested on his lap.
His voice fell silent.
I kept praying.
Eventually I guess he got tired of my hand being there and pushed it away. We got to the lake and took our boat ride with our children. Their faces lit up as we toured the small lake. When we finished the ride we walked in a small garden for a few minutes and went to load the vans again.
Once more he panicked, began hitting himself and protesting. This time I was farther back but Alison one of my squad mates was next to him. She turned and asked if I had been praying before. I told her I had been and she turned around and started praying over him.
He calmed once more.
Prayer is powerful, I don't know what was causing his reactions whether it was physical or spiritual. All I know is that twice when we prayed over him peace was the result.
So when Christ says "my house will be called a house of prayer" I'm starting to understand more of why. I've seen prayer calm a child, heal a skin disease, and change hearts. I'm not saying that prayer is power in itself but the God we pray to has power to do mighty things.
1 Corinthians 6:19 says that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. A house where the Spirit dwells on earth. I want to be a house of prayer, to go to prayer not only in the hard times but the great ones as well. I want to pray with people when they share their cares and concerns, not just saying that I will. Even if they refuse my prayers, I will silently seek God's will for them.
My house will be called a house of prayer!
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How can I pray for you?
