2023_10_02 Insight Post- Kim Feld

  -   October 2, 2023

This week’s reading-  Psalm 69, Jeremiah 25, Habbakuk 2

My regular pattern in writing insight posts is reading through the passages several times and sitting with them for a few days. I like to chew on specific portions and see what comes to mind as I ponder them. This week, I’m thinking about zeal or passion.

In last week’s reading of John 2, we read this in verse 17: “His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.”‘ This week, we read that the verse mentioned comes from Psalm 69:9, which says: for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. Both verses are from the New International Version. The Hebrew and Greek words for zeal mean jealousy or envy – they denote strong emotion. The New Living Translation uses the word passion, which also indicates strong feelings.

Thinking about Jesus’ passion or zeal for God’s house reminded me of His crucifixion suffering, also called “passion.” Jesus’ strong emotions for God’s house and ways ultimately led to His death. His passion led Him to give all He had to accomplish God’s plan. What God wanted was primary in Jesus’ mind. Even in His humanity, God’s will overshadowed His; what broke God’s heart also broke His.

As I thought about passion, I considered things I say I am passionate about. Even in my most charitable endeavors, a lot of me is still in there. However, Jesus was entirely filled by the Holy Spirit and submitted to Him. Philippians 2:7 says Jesus made Himself nothing – the Greek word used is kenoō, which means to empty – He emptied Himself, depriving Himself of His power to be obedient to death on the cross.

I am called to follow Jesus’ example by emptying myself. However, unlike Jesus, I have much to empty that keeps me from complete devotion to God. I can be more passionate about my own comfort than obedience to God. But God wants me to empty myself by denying and surrendering those things that contradict Him and His ways.

The temple was where God met and dwelled with the people. Jesus was fervent in His desire for the people to recognize how vital that was and for the temple to NOT be used as a place where people were taken advantage of for selfish gain. Now, we, as followers of Christ, are God’s temple. Look at what Paul says to the Corinthians:

¹⁶ And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16, NLT).

What an incredible thought to wrap our minds around! Jesus was passionate about God’s house as His Father’s dwelling place. How much more passionate should we be about God living within us? I have some temple cleansing of my own to do.