The Temple of the Lord

   “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Cor 3: 16)

   When God gave Moses instructions for building the Ark of the Covenant the specifications were very precise in every detail.  The design of the meeting tent that was to hold the Ark was no less specific than that of the Ark itself.  When Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem God directed those actions as well.  Each stone, every wall and doorway was built to His specifications.  Not until all was completed according to God’s word would the Ark be moved into the temple.  God is very particular about where He is to reside, whether it was in the Ark of the Covenant in the meeting tent or the temple in Jerusalem.

   Paul tells us in first Corinthians that we ourselves are the temple of God.  He lives within us.  I believe He is just as concerned with the care of our bodily temple in which He resides.

   If we choose to disregard this temple through misuse or abuse we are dishonoring the temple of the Lord.  Failure to properly care for our body tells the Father that we have little concern for the home He wishes to make for Himself within us.

   Sin darkens the halls of our temple.  Lust, envy, sloth and all the deadly sins make our body an unfit abode for our God.  He will not reside in the filth of sinfulness.  We must clean our temple of evil and strive to make it a worthy dwelling place for the Lord.

   God wants to live within us.  He wants to give us His love and mercy.  By properly caring for the temple of our body and soul we can experience the presence of God within.

Father fill me with Your Spirit.

Help me care for my body as Your temple.

Keep me from sin.

Amen