Luke 13:35  "See!  Your house if left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

Friday  February 17, 2017  The words of Jesus, particularly the part about the "house" being left desolate, arise in various statements of judgment in the Hebrew Scriptures.  Ironically, the second part-"blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"-is a quote from Psalm 118:26, which is part of the greeting the people of Jerusalem give to Jesus during His triumphal entry. (Luke 19:38)  According to the Anchor Bible Commentary, This psalm was a hymn of thanks for "deliverance from battle" that became part of the greeting pilgrims received on high holy days, particularly Passover.  One could surmise that Jesus in this statement refers to the re-establishment of  the Temple in the latter days, but that is  something for the Lord to achieve.  For us today, let's  consider the matter of motive.

While some of the people sincerely cried out "blessed is the One who comes in the Name of the Lord" in worship to Jesus, it is not far-fetched to guess that some, perhaps many, worshipped with an agenda.  What they really meant was "blessed be the One who finally gets rid of these Romans".  I don't blame them for feeling that way about the Roman Empire.  Had I lived back then I would have felt the same.  But if that is the case, then many rejected praise for anger when their expectations were undone; and their praise came to nothing.  The question for me today is, am I willing to worship without an agenda, to worship even if I don't understand or are disappointed, or find my dearest hopes have not come to pass?  Perhaps praise is true praise only when it is without "strings".  For our praise to be truly so, we must echo the prophet Habakkuk:

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NKJV)
¹⁷  Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls--
¹⁸  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
¹⁹  The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.

Dear Lord, teach me to worship with a sincere heart, with no demands and with a consistency that defies circumstance, disappointment and even heartache.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen