LEARNINGS TO SHARE…

Before we dive into our devotional today, let me take a minute and offer some helpful reminders and practical suggestions about our 21 day fast together….

            First, don’t be legalistic about it!!  if you start applying “law” to this experience then you remove the “relationship” out of it.  the idea is for us to grow in our relationships to the Lord, not our ability to abide by law!!

            Second, what do you do if you start feeling ill?  Well, don’t force yourself into sickness.  But if it is emotional “illness”, then don’t let your emotions control you, this might be one of the things God wants to change in you by this experience….seek Him…”seek and you will find”

Day 2 –  John chapter 2

“Zeal for your house will consume me” John 2:17 (NIV)

Zeal = Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance.

For some people, being passionate for God’s house is not a challenge. Why? Well, we all love our local church, which is a group of relationships by the way, because, “they” strengthen our relationship with God (relationships strengthening “the” relationship). It is an environment to hear a life-giving Word, worship collectively with other believers, and fellowship with great people. The church is helping to change your life, challenging you to be a better person, and renewing you every week. Who wouldn’t be enthusiastic about an environment like that? We all can be passionate about God’s House.  However, we must understand, not just mentally, but deep within us, that the word “house” is not limited to a structure. Paul refers to our bodies as “living temples” (I Corinthians 6:19) and the temple was God’s house, you and me!

That puts a different spin on this scripture and challenges us in an entirely different way. Let’s face it – it can be much harder to be zealous for people. People are imperfect; we are imperfect, you are imperfect. It’s difficult to be enthusiastic towards people who have problems and lives are all messed and when they don’t treat us the way we want to be treated.

What would the world look like if we were enthusiastically devoted to and tirelessly diligent in furthering God’s people? What would our communities or even our families look like if we were zealous about loving and preferring them? Today during prayer, let’s pray with passion for God’s people – His house, each other.

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