Fire in the Temple

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Readings: Ezekiel 43:1-12 | Matthew 23:37-24:14

Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord return to the temple, not as nostalgia but as a consuming presence that reshapes everything it touches. Holiness is not aesthetic; it is fire. It exposes, purifies, and reorders. Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem echoes this theme: God longs to gather His people, yet they often resist the very presence meant to save them.

We live in a time when “spirituality” is often curated, aestheticized, even commodified. But divine presence disrupts as much as it comforts. It challenges our idols, success, image, and safety, and calls us back to wholehearted devotion.

Jesus warns His disciples that faithfulness in turbulent times is marked by endurance, not ease. Holiness becomes a compass when the world fractures.

Devotional Prompts:

• What temple in your life needs God’s purifying presence?
• Where are you resisting God’s invitation to deeper surrender?
• How can holiness become your anchor rather than your burden?

Prayer:
Holy God, let Your refining presence return to every part of my life. Burn away what does not belong, and lead me into the freedom of wholehearted devotion. Amen.