The Bible says in Isaiah 56:7, ” these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (NIV) Even to this day many Jewish people have the belief that in the future Jerusalem will be the capital of the world and people from all over the world will pray at the temple. This is being partially fulfilled today as we speak. But, a house of prayer is more than a massive temple. Let’s look at the definition of “house”. In the Webster’s Dictionary one of the definitions of a house is, “To take shelter or lodging; to abide to dwell; to lodge”. According to this simple definition of “house”, a house can be anything or anywhere in which someone lives, dwells, or inhabits for any length of time. A house could be a small apartment, a large church building on Sunday morning, or a shed for someone doing work outside for any length of time. Simply put, it is any place that you spend time in prayer. It doesn’t matter if it is pretty or ugly. Just remember that the first house of prayer that Jesus was in, was a manger inside of a barn the night that he was born in Bethlehem. “Luke 2:7 (NIV) and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” That little barn in Bethlehem transformed into a house of prayer the night that Jesus was born, especially when all the shepherds came to prayer and worship the Savior of the world! Every house can be a house of prayer if that family prays in that house.
But did you know that everyone themselves can be a house of prayer, if they want to? The heart within every person is a house. The heart is a structure for your thoughts, words, and actions. The heart is the house for the “real you”, who lives inside. And the real house of prayer is within the heart. Prayer originates in the heart. Zeal and desire come from the heart. That is why it is important to pray all the time, no matter where you are at.
Right now, there needs to be a house of prayer not just in every community (referring to a physical church building) but in every neighborhood and in every hospital during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the medical professionals and scientists are doing everything, they can do to find a cure, there equally needs to be a house of prayer to give comfort and hope to those who have been shattered to the coronavirus crisis.
