The Temple of the Holy Spirit

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own” – 1 Corinthians 6:19

Going through the book of 1 Kings in a slow and intentional manner was a surreal experience for me. At the very beginning of the book we witness a united and prosperous nation under King David who is ailing as he approaches his twilight years. He goes on to leave the kingdom to Solomon fulfilling the promise he had made to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. King Solomon went on to be the wisest man that ever lived. God asked Solomon one day essentially “What do you want?”, Solomon wisely answered that he wanted wisdom and knowledge that he might lead the people of Israel well. God was so pleased with his answer that didn’t ask for fame or fortune that he gave him that in addition to the wisdom. These were all powerful lessons for me in the book of 1 Kings.

One interning thing in 1 Kings was that David did not build the temple, because it was something that God had ordained for Solomon to do. What struck me and literally jumped out was the detail that went into the building of the temple. The scriptures record in 1 Kings 6 of all the details. The stones that were used in the construction of the temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, axe, or any other iron tool at the building site. The interior was made of nothing but the best, paneled with wood and covered in gold. All this was the bare minimum; after all, this would be the dwelling place of the Ark of the Covenant with the very presence of the Lord God of Israel. The temple was an amazing and very detailed place!

With this in mind consider that in New Testament times that the Lord himself dwells within believers (1 Corinthians 6:19)! He really does dwell in us. It’s real, He’s real, and my question is, how would you describe His living conditions in your body as a temple? Paul details that we are not our own, we were bought at a price, a hefty one for that matter. If that much detail and care went into the building of the temple then what kind of care are you doing with your bodily temple that the Lord lives in? But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Corinthians 4:7) this particular verse really serves to remind us of how fragile we are, and the importance that we have because of who we are carrying. One of my favourite speakers, Jentezen Franklin likens this to the importance of a pizza box. It is not worth a lot, but it takes on a tremendous value because of the product. It is the product that gives value to the box, not the box that gives value to the product. The actualization of this biblical concept and the meditation on God’s word constantly will take you to a point to see that you should serve God and make the most of the talents He has given you. However, just like the pizza box, for you to really serve your purpose effectively, you have to be clean and you have to be empty. This way Jesus can be your priority and He will do great things through you, but only if you let him. If you know in your heart of hearts you are neither clean nor empty then ask for forgiveness today and expect the grace of the Lord to cleanse you from shame and sin. Repent today and put Jesus first. You’ll be surprised just how far he will take you.

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