The Temple of God
God is building himself a temple,
And we are the stones he is using.
Christians being built together
Is the residence of his choosing.
“In him the whole building is joined together
and rises to become a
holy temple in the Lord.
And in him you too are being built
together
to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:21-22 (NIV)
sunŏikŏdŏmĕō – to construct, i.e.
(pass.) to compose (in company with other Christians,
fig.): - build together.
katŏikētēriŏn – from a der. of
katŏikĕō, a dwelling place – habitation.
katŏikĕō – to house permanently,
i.e. reside (lit. or fig.): - dwell (-er), inhabitant (-ter).
Someday I
hope to go house hunting. I’ve either lived in my parents’ home or an apartment
all my life. My dream is to have a modest house for which I will choose the
furnishings and landscaping. It will never make the cover of Better Homes and Gardens or even the
back page for that matter because my taste is rather eclectic. However, it will
be a reflection of my personality and my desire to create an atmosphere where
friends will feel at ease. I look forward, God willing, to putting the place
together a bit at a time as my budget will allow.
It’s
amazing to me that when God looked for a residence, he chose to inhabit his
people. Talk about eclectic taste! We come in all shapes and sizes, ethnic
groups, and denominations; but he has chosen to build us together into his holy
temple. He has taken up permanent residence in each believer by his Holy
Spirit. I am a part of the body of Christ (possibly an elbow), but I am also a stone
or brick in his temple. Maybe a better analogy would be that I am one Lego™
that God is snapping together with other Legos™ to make a fantastic building. A
single building block is not too impressive, but masterfully put together they
are fascinating.
I love that
word permanently. God has chosen me
as his dwelling place, and he will not move out. The Ephesians were Gentiles,
but Paul was emphasizing that they were a part of God’s family, his body, and
his dwelling place along with the Jewish believers. This is only possible in
Christ; and in him, I am being built together with Christians throughout
history to be a dwelling place for the Spirit of God. Amazing!
Thank you, Lord, for choosing to dwell in
me. Thank you for fitting me together with other Christians to be a strong
building in which your Spirit can dwell and from which you can minister to the
world. Help me to serve you fully and gladly each day. Daily mold me into the
servant you would have me to be. Thank you for your mercy and grace in choosing
me while I was still a sinner.
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