Monday of Passion Week

This week is Passion week, the week that Jesus met His "destiny" at the Cross. Each year I like to "walk" where He walked, so to speak to see if I can imagine being with Him in those last days and hours. I have this great map in my Bible: NIV Study Bible found in the book of Mark for those that have this Bible. It shows you what Jesus would have been doing each day leading up to the Resurrection. This is also a great link to another great chart that you could use to do the same thing.
Today is the day marked by two events: the cursing of the fig tree and Jesus clearing the Temple of the money changers. ( Matthew 21:12-22)

The Cursing of the Fig tree ( Matthew 21:18-22) has always caused me great curiosity. Never have been able to discern the "why" of this event. And even why they include it in the Scriptures. So there MUST be a reason for it.Maybe Jesus was just having a "bad" day. He was divine AND human. And believe me if I was walking each day closer to the kind of death He was going to have to endure, I probably would have been a bit testy. Of course I can't compare me to Him. Somehow that seems blasphemous. But I truly cannot imagine the thoughts running through His mind as He walked closer and closer to this ultimate destiny. I do think it was a great object lesson for the disciples too as He talks about them having faith and doing the same thing.

But the clearning of the Temple. I don't have as much problem imagining His anger as He witnessed the mockery that His Father's House had become to the Holy place it was originally set apart to be. Although I know I can't imagine the full magnitude I am sure. As I read this passage I take it a bit further and try to imagine the anger, frustration, and depth of sadness He feels today as He looks at what His Bride, the Church, has become. Churches fighting churches over the most pointless of issues. For instance one church leader thinking he has the right to judge fellow churches for the way they are doing things and rallies to march on those churches to preach condemnation to them. And then the magnitude of poverty in the world of so much wealth. Somehow I think this makes Jesus weep more than it makes Him proud.

So what did I consider today as I pondered these things? I thought about two things: 1. Would He be standing with me looking over what I am doing as I seek to serve Him with my life and have done and saying "Well done?"2. Am I representing Him well or am I like the unfruitful fig tree: Good for nothing in His eyes? Harsh realities. But then this week is meant for harsh reflections and reality checks.