For the exercise enthusiast, their body is a temple. The same is true for the believer - the difference is that our body is God’s Temple. And while studying recently I found something that was exciting to me. I wanted to share it with you. I hope you find it encouraging also.
Here’s what God’s word says about the body of those who bear His name:
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own.
Now, that in itself if exciting enough for me. My body, as a believer, is a temple of God - inhabited by the Holy Spirit. That, my friend, is awe inspiring. But here is something that is even more awe inspiring. It comes from the Old Testament.
2 Chronicles 7:11-16 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king’s palace, and successfully completed all he had planned on doing in the house of the LORD and in his palace. Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes shall be open, and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes, and My heart will be there perpetually.”
Because of God’s pleasure with the temple, He chose to be there perpetually. He has chosen to consecrate it. He chose to be attentive to the prayer offered in the temple.
The physical temple Solomon built has been destroyed. And, as God said in 1 Corinthians, the man who destroys it was destroyed. Now we have become His temple. And God is pleased with the temple. He has chosen to consecrate it through the Son’s blood. He has chosen to be there perpetually through the Holy Spirit. He has chosen to be attentive to the prayer offered in it. He is attentive to our prayer.
I am the consecrated temple of the LORD. My use is for His glory. My sacrifice is His pleasure. His cross is mine to pick up daily and bare. Praise the LORD.
Father, I cannot help but praise Your name. I cannot help but give You glory. I cannot help but thank You for gracing me by consecrating me with Your Son’s blood. May my sacrifice be pleasing to You, O God. May my prayers rise as incense to Your nostrils. May I bring You all honor and glory. May I be all to You that a temple is to be. In Your Son’s name I pray. Amen.
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This is a very nice posting Rib. It is an awesome thing that our Lord is always with us and resides in our temple. It is also a high calling to seek to keep it sanctified. I thank God that He does the work as well.