My Lenten journal for Holy Week. You are welcome to follow along and comment

On Monday, Christ cleansed the temple: Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”Matthew 21:12-13

Every Monday is holy but more so on the eve of Easter.  Last night was the full of the paschal moon, the moon of suffering.  I worked out  under its light and thought hard about the price the Christ paid for me.   Sunday’s worship melted into Monday’s work. 

My workday started late due to an errand and was spent cleaning up a hundred details and calls.  I got pretty lost pushing through the different projects  because each of them had a hassle.   Nothing big enough to but it just added to the drudgery.  My chest actually  hurts.  Nothing dangerous just the self imposed stress. I just want to go home.  And I finally did and reluctantly sat down to my “morning” devotions.  

This lessons hit home.  My “house” of prayer is cluttered with things that blind me to prayer and are robbing me of joy. The healing of a day comes as God sits with me on the porch in a thunderstorm.  Teresa is sewing and I sit on my bench in the first stillness of the day.  Jesus drives out the false thoughts as I watch  the rain press in new grass seed I tossed out just before the rain hit.  Rain splashed on the outside as grace soaks the inside. Prayer is indeed healing breath to my agitated soul.  I missed Jesus all day.  What a waste. Yet, how grateful I am as it is time to go in.

Blessings to you this holy Monday.  May you find God in your prayers, stillness in the noise and haste, and know the nourishment of time with God.   Check you tomorrow as I go through the week and we look forward to resurrection together.  

Blessings to your journey

Pastor Alan