By Doug Cox

“Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.” Luke 19:45-46 NKJV

It is interesting how the same King who earlier had humbled Himself and rode a donkey through multitudes of excited people who were shouting “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” is the same King who went into the Temple with a whip and overturned the tables of the money changers. Many people are only interested in the gentle Jesus. They want the Jesus who comforts and forgives and not the Jesus who confronts and disrupts and does house cleaning. The truth is we need Him to do both.

Every physical house needs to be cleaned regularly. Dishes and clothes need washed. Floors need mopped and vacuumed. What about our spiritual house? In 1 Corinthians 6:19 the apostle Paul questions his readers saying “… do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” Then emphatically he says in verse 20 “… you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Both the people and the Temple that Jesus disrupted belonged to God, giving Him the right to do what He did. Jesus also has the right to disrupt our lives when we need it. Sometimes disruption is exactly what we need to get us on track.

One of my dearest friends had to have that kind of disruption in his life to get his life back on track. He had given his life to the Lord for the first time while in prison. After getting out he fell back into addiction again. His addiction and other failures forced the law to send him back to prison again. Thankfully it was that upheaval that got his life straightened out. Now he is an effective pastor, leading people to the same Jesus that saved and changed his life.

Hebrews 12:6 says “… the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as his son.” (NIV) Don’t think that Jesus doesn’t love you enough to chasten you. Chastening is not His first option. He would much rather speak to us with His word, and nudge and help us with the Holy Spirit. Denying Him these things could force Him to lovingly, turn over some tables.

This could be a good time to ask ourselves some questions. Do I tolerate things in my life that He wants me to remove? Is my spiritual life hollow or holy? What do I consider more valuable, material things or spiritual? Is my heart consumed with God’s word and prayer or the things of the world? Do I trust Him enough to ask for help? And lastly. Do I want Him to Shepherd me through the change I need or would I rather Him break me?