"Passion for Your House"

Scripture Passage

Psalms 68-70; Psalm 86; Psalm 101

Scripture Focus

Passion for your house has consumed me,
     and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
                                                             (Psalm 69:9 NLT)

Observation

Sometimes the whole of a story can be captured in a single line from the story. “Mama always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates'” produces immediate recollections of “Forrest Gump”. “I’ll be back” (especially in an exaggerated Austrian accent) prompts images of Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator. All the pathos of Star Wars is captured in Darth Vader’s words to Luke—“I am your father.” A single quote can capture and represent everything about the context from which it is taken. I thought about that as I read Psalm 69 today.

In John, chapter 2, Jesus clears the temple of livestock dealers and moneychangers.

[15] …he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. [16] To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:15-16 NIV)

The next verse says…

His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:17 NIV)

Why is it that Jesus’ actions in John 2 would remind the disciples of this psalm? Certainly the connection between “the Temple” in John 2 and “your house” in Psalm 69 is obvious—but was there more? Was it the whole of Psalm 69 that came to mind when the disciples observed Jesus’ actions? Did they see more than just a rabbi passionate for God’s House? Did they, instead, see a man who saw the abuse of God’s Temple…the use of the House of God for oppressive profiteering…as a microcosm of the battle He was fighting—as evil men insulting who God was, defaming and disgracing the Name of the Lord. Did Jesus see, at this unique moment early in His ministry (this is, I believe, *not* the same as the clearing of the Temple during the Passion Week) how colossal was the task ahead of Him? I wonder if the disciples saw a man desperate in the fight for truth.

I wonder, then, how clearly I see things…how desperate I am for You and what matters to You.  Has passion for your House—and all your House represents—consumed me?