By Paul Gallagher

RESURRECTION WEEK DEVOTION: 7 DAYS. 7 REFLECTIONS. 1 ETERNITY-SHAKING RESURRECTION!

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

Matthew 21:12-14 English Standard Version

There is one thing about Jesus that I wish I had today, among the million or so items on my personal wishlist of Christlike behaviours: The ability to do something useful on the first work day of a week!

Mondays have never been my strongest day. I generally have felt a little flat on the first weekdays of life, and spent most of my time either answering emails or shifting my ‘to do’ list items to other days of the week.

Not Jesus! Not only does He back up on this Monday with a return visit to the city that offered him a hero’s welcome the day before… but He comes completely comfortable with the prospect of handling a major conflict at the first stop.

We read in three of the Gospels for this incident — Matthew, Mark and Luke — how He drove out those who were making the temple a ‘den of robbers’!

But it’s what happens next that amazes me the most. Not content with demonstrating His authority and leadership in a tricky situation with local money-hungry hustlers, Jesus backs it up with the most amazing act possible! He immediately begins healing people.

There’s not a moment here where He takes a breather and poses for a photo with the local press. No three strong lattes needed to come down off the excitement of the table-turning a little earlier. No pause in being exactly Who He is: Saviour. Healer. Lord.

This Monday, Jesus has turned the tables on the useless pursuits of living, and waits to heal and provide for you. The only requirement is to go to Him. In prayer, in person, in a moment of surrender, repentance and honesty.

For a full breakdown of the week leading to the Resurrection of Jesus, see this table provided by the team who brought us the English Standard Version of the Bible: https://is.gd/olgMH0

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