2/27/2024 0 Comments DestroyWelcome to this guided meditation, drawing inspiration from John 2:13-22. Let us take a moment to center ourselves and open our hearts to the message within these sacred words:
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, with the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.* In this passage, we find Jesus, witnessing the chaos and commercialism that had overtaken the sacred space, in the temple courts. He is filled with righteous indignation and takes decisive action by driving out the merchants and overturning the tables. The word "destroy" is significant in this passage. Jesus says, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." His words are misunderstood by those around him, but they foreshadow the ultimate sacrifice he would make on the cross and the resurrection that would follow. As we meditate on the word "destroy," let us consider the things in our own lives that may need to be cleansed or overturned in order to make room for the presence of God. What are the distractions or obstacles that prevent you from experiencing the fullness of God's love and grace? Is it the busyness and noise of everyday life? Is it the pursuit of wealth, power, or success? Is it the burdens of past mistakes or regrets? Take a moment to reflect on these questions in the stillness of this sacred space. Allow yourself to acknowledge any areas of your life that feel cluttered or chaotic, and invite the presence of Jesus to enter in and bring clarity and peace. As you breathe deeply and center yourself in the presence of God, imagine Jesus standing before you, offering his hand to help you cleanse the temple of your heart. With each breath, feel the weight of those burdens being lifted from your shoulders. Allow yourself to release any attachments or distractions that hinder your relationship with God. As we conclude this meditation, may we be reminded of Jesus' call to cleanse the temple of our hearts and to make space for God's love to dwell within us. May we surrender our burdens and distractions, and trust in the power of resurrection and new life. * New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
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