FRIDAY, February 24
Reflect
Today’s passage focuses on two different stories that are actually related to one another. In the first, Jesus curses a barren fig tree because it is not bearing any fruit even though it is not in season. In the second, Jesus goes into the temple and sees that it has become a place of chaos and injustice - “a den of robbers.” He turns over the tables and drives out those seeking economic gain. For Jesus, the temple represented God’s static presence - a ‘meeting place’ with God the Father. It signified God’s desire to be among His people. The economic nature of those selling sacrifices created an ‘us and them’ mentality. Only those who could afford sacrifices were welcome to meet with God. In a lot of ways, the temple was like that fig tree. It was not producing the fruit that it was supposed to. Jesus did not curse the temple itself, but He cursed the system of injustice and the lack of focus on the temple as a meeting place with God. Today, we are the ‘temple’ of God. God’s Spirit lives inside of us and we believe that God dwells amongst us when we gather together. If we heed Jesus’ teaching and action, we need to commit ourselves to being people of prayer and people who ‘bear the fruit’ of the presence of God in our lives.
Pastor Daunavan
Pray
- Pray for our Executive Pastor, Terry Okken and for his family and his ministry.
- Pray for an NAB mission we support, Making Disciples in Russia.
- Pray for our Children’s Ministry Assistant, Kyla Mould.
- Pray for Sheryl Grunwald as she serves with Kidzana Children’s Ministry.