When reading of Jesus clearing out the temple, I’ve always been struck by his emotion and his actions. But while reading Mark’s account last week His words stood out, “My house will be called a house of prayer for the nations.” The nations. Now when I read that phrase it reminds me of ICB where we just served two and a half years. The nations were definitely represented there. I loved looking across the congregation on a Sunday morning and seeing beautiful tapestry of color. Sometimes I would do the welcome where we would have people stand and say their name and where they are from, “Maria from Peru. Welcome.” Often I would have a hard time hearing or pronouncing the names which were new to me so it would just be, “From Nigeria. Welcome.” or “From Norway. We are so glad you are here this morning.”
Yet as I read I remembered that the temple doesn’t just refer to the church as a whole, but to me. We are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. So my prayer is, “God, make me a house of prayer for the nations. If there are tables of greed and selfishness cluttering the temple of my heart, overturn them. Throw out what is not of you. Come in and cleanse me. So that I might have space and room to focus on my true purpose. I want to be a house of prayer for the nations. Sweeden and Malaysia, South Africa and Argentina, China and Nigeria. May the nations come to know you as Lord and Savior. Amen” And won’t it be amazing when we are in heaven to be a part of the welcome knowing our prayers had a part in bringing people home. “From Nigeria. Welcome. From Norway. We are so glad you are he