Tom woke up early and was in an exceptionally good mood. He was very excited about getting to church and hearing the next sermon in the series the pastor started last week. Tom prayed earnestly and diligently reviewed last week’s sermon outline and his personal notes. ‘This is going to be great! Last week’s sermon really spoke to me.’, Tom said to his wife as they got in the car for the short drive to church. However, as they walked into the sanctuary, they were greeted by sounds of crying and a great deal of commotion. Then they saw it; the graffiti on the walls and the damage to the alter and baptismal pool. Tom was shocked. ‘Who could do such a thing?!’
Unfortunately, in today’s world, this story is not only believable, but multiple alternate scenarios could be imagined where the ‘House of God’ is defiled. As disgraceful and disgusting as this may be to Christians, what is more shocking is that many Christians seems to care more about what happens to a church building than they do about the living temple of God!
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
- John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
In these two verses, the Bible (God’s Word) makes very clear that each individual Christian is the temple of God. Taking these verses in context and carefully reading them, we see that we are indwelled by the entire Godhead, the Holy trinity; that right, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (that’s Jesus talking in John 14:23). We are the House of God!
- John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:16-17, and many other verses, tell us that the indwelling presence of God in a Christian is permanent! Once God moves in, He never moves out.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
- 1 Corinthians 3:17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
God bought each Christian with the precious blood of Christ and He takes the treatment of His temple very serious. This devotion is not meant to condemn anyone or to make anyone feel guilty (Romans 8:1). We all stumble and I have fallen very short in this area at different times in my life. However, this devotion is intended to get Christians thinking, talking, praying and searching the Word of God about this very important issue.
Here are a couple of topics for you to reflect on:
- As a Christian, you have a personal responsibility to care for your body.
- This applies to diet, exercise and anything else that impacts the condition (health) of God’s living temple.
- You carry God with you wherever you go and whatever you do!
Ask the Lord to guide you, and then by the power of His Holy Spirit, make adjustments as needed to honor and glorify Him.
Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven, and in me, please forgive me for the times when I have not taken care of this body that You have given me. I know I continue to fail in some areas; but I also know that I love You and desire to tend Your house very well. May Your Holy Spirit guide me to make better decisions about my health and everything I do with my body. I love You and thank You for Your grace, mercy and patience. I praise You and pray to You in the precious name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
