Start the Demolition

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. -Mark 11:11 (NIV)

Almost four years ago, I visited the Holy Land. It was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. As I read Mark 11 this morning, I could picture myself standing on the Mount of Olives again, looking across the Kidron Valley toward the old city of Jerusalem.

Jesus was on the Mount of Olives when he ordered two disciples to go fetch a colt for him to ride into Jerusalem for the final time before his crucifixion. Jesus is believed to have entered the city through the East Gate.

Today, that gate is sealed. Our tour guide told us that Suleiman the Magnificent sealed it around 1541 (although there is disagreement about this claim). There are two prevailing theories behind the sealing of this gate. One theory is that Suleiman was aware that the Jewish people expected their Messiah to descend from the Mount of Olives and enter the holy city of Jerusalem through this gate (fulfilling Zechariah 14:4). Closing the gate, then, is seen as an effort to prevent the fulfillment of this messianic expectation. Another theory behind the sealing of the gate is that it was simply the fulfillment of Ezekiel 44:1-2 which says that after the Messiah enters through it, the gate was to be shut and remain shut. Once Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem on a colt, it was sealed, not because Suleiman wanted to prevent the Jewish Messiah from entering, but because God said that it would be sealed and used Suleiman to do it.

Today, the East Gate is visited by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. For the Jews, it is the gate through which their Messiah will enter Jerusalem. According to Muslim belief, Allah's final judgment will take place in front of the East Gate. For Christians, Christ will once again enter the Holy City of Jerusalem through this East Gate.

As I viewed that sealed gate during my Holy Land trip four years ago, I found myself asking: Jesus, how have I closed off the entrance of my heart to you? It's a question that I find myself asking again as we approach the season of Lent.

I've got a hunch. If the Messiah wants entrance into the city of Jerusalem, those bricks will come down. So why bother sealing it? That leads me to a question that I want to leave with you: why have you built a wall around your heart in an effort to keep Christ out? Don't you think that if Christ wants in, he'll find a way to get in?

May God grant you the grace to examine your heart today. If there's wall around it trying to keep Christ out, why not start the demolition and invite Christ in?




Tomorrow's Reading: Mark 12
Sunday's Reading: Mark 13
I'll be back on Monday with a devotional from Mark 14

If you're new to the Good Morning God devotionals, I try to write and share them each Monday-Friday. Please feel free to forward the devotionals to family, friends, and co-workers. I notice an increase in the number of new subscribers when readers like you share them on Facebook or re-tweet them on Twitter. It's my prayer that these devotionals might help countless people say, "Good Morning God."