The house of prayer

Mark 11:17

And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

The House of God has been repurposed for many things in these days for which it was never intended. It has been used and abused for everything that we could think of, when it was only designed for one thing. Yes, the House of God was used for sacrifices and offerings, and it is where the Levites and Priests served the Lord, and prepared all things for the ministry. But above all, God’s House is called of all nations the house of prayer. That is what is it for! People should be able to come knowing that they can find the Lord there. People ought to come knowing the doors will be open and they can get alone with the Lord and pray to Him. These days, we are using God’s House to sell things, to gossip about others, to speak about unnecessary and unprofitable things, to promote ourselves, and to talk about the frivolities and trivialities of our worldly lives. Now, talk and fellowship is good, if it is edifying! And conversation can lend to spiritual enrichment and nourishment. But dear friends, if anything is being done that would hinder God’s House from being a house of prayer, that thing should not be done.

Today, we will enter into the gates of the Lord. We will hopefully be assembling with God’s people on this Lord’s Day (if you are reading this on Sunday). And therefore, let us consider our attitude, our demeanor, and our deportment. Remember, the Lord’s House is a house of prayer! It is not for any other major purpose! People are coming who have great burdens and trials. They do not want to hear about your petty differences. They do not want to hear about how terrible this world is functioning, or not functioning. People don’t need to be discouraged, they need to be encouraged! You be an encourager! You be a lifter up! Lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees! Be someone who will make God’s House the house of prayer.

Let us not be guilty of making the Lord’s House anything other than what He interned it to be. As we go in, and as we travel to the church to enter in, let us go with a spirit of prayer, ready to enter into God’s presence. What a privilege we have! Therefore, let the church house be a house of prayer.

“Dear Father, we thank You for Your wonderful House. It is a house where we can come and meet with You. And while we meet with others today, may our chief purpose be to direct our unified worship to Thee. May this day be a day of prayer and fellowship, in which we point the weary souls of others to Your throne. And may we say, when we leave, that we have been in Your house of prayer. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”