A word seldom used today. Defined as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.” It is a bit like “passion in motion”.

Here Jesus was in pursuit of reverence and honor for holy ground, holy places, holy buildings. When Moses met God at the burning bush, the first thing God says is “take off your shoes, you are on holy ground”. If Moses would have refused to honor holy ground, would he have been sent to deliver the slaves? It is obviously important to God that we honor holy places, for God to fill those places with His glory.

When Moses was instructed to build the temple, the instructions were quite explicit. God cares much about His house! The sizes, colors, materials, arrangement was all dictated in minute detail. Only when all was in place according to what was ordered did the glory of God fill the temple.

But fast forward to today. Are we reverent to Gods temple? Do we feel “zeal” for God’s house. There has been one major change, an addition really, now YOU are God’s temple! It’s not just about a church building we visit, although that is still important. Now the Holy Spirit has been given to fill our very bodies and souls. Just as God’s glory filled Moses’ temple, He can fill you and me.

How do we show reverence in our lives to God’s holy temple? First, do you have the zeal of Jesus to do so? If not… Start there! Then, with zeal for holiness, look at what Jesus did here… He rejected the “marketplace” as being the main focus of existence.

What do you do each day? Go to work, make money, or do you wake each day to serve a Holy God? Is life about you? Your needs? Your wants? Or is life about the one who made you? His wants? Is life nothing but a self-serving marketplace, or a Holy offering of service to our King?

Sure we should watch what we eat, drink, say, do, dress. But how much more should we correct the focus of life itself. Jesus felt zeal for God’s place to be holy, full of praise, worship, teaching, peace, the glorious presence of God. Is that our life? Our zeal?

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…. All the rest falls into place. Let Jesus come into your heart today and “clean it out” like He did the temple.

Let the zeal to serve God in holiness be our driving force in life.