[ Today's Readings ]
The LORD wants us to reform our ways.
He wants us to get over the idea that it is enough to be in his temple if it doesn't impact our lives. If we spend time in his temple but still oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, it doesn't do us any good. What really matters in his temple is his presence. We can't have both his presence and the presence of idols.
We live lives marked by worship of idols of various kinds. Perhaps they are not lives of murder or adultery or perjury. But perhaps in our hearts we do wish others harm or we do wish to exploit others for our own ends. We know we aren't as truthful as we'd like to be. We can't simply visit the temple to cover over these things. We need the presence of the LORD to replace them on the throne of our hearts. When that happens the temple begins to have meaning for us that it is meant to.
We wish that the LORD would pull up these weeds from our hearts and not wait on our cooperation. But if he did not respect our free will in such matters he wouldn't really respect it at all. He would pull up the wheat with the weeds.
If we find that we only bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit amidst many weeds let us turn to the LORD. If we treasure his presence and not just our time in the temple the enemy will not find time when everyone is sleeping. He will not be able to plant his weeds. More and more will only grow fruit.
Then we don't hide from who we are in the LORD's house. Instead it is the place where we treasure and rejoice in his presence.
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
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