GodReflection:
The Lord is in his Holy Temple; let all the earth be silent before him (Habakkuk 2:20).
God is not homeless; He has a place of residence. On the pages of my Bible the home of Creator God is Temple. For God who is not limited by time or space, it should not surprise us that His Temple is not restricted by day or night nor by location. Like Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three in one and one in three, so does temple seem to be one in three dimensions.
God’s Holy Temple is spotless and perfect. In it dwells all goodness and perfection. From that temple the God of heaven and earth oversees creation and with Holy Timing He orchestrates the demise and destruction of Satan, as He prepares eternity.
It is the Holy Temple that King David’s director of music described when he composed the following lines to encourage right living while under attack by the wicked:
The Lord is in his Holy Temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them (Psalms 11:4).
It is in the same spirit that the prophet Habakkuk writes the lines that we sing to God and to each other as we worship, The Lord is in His Holy Temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
As I witness a world that often seems to be on the brink of implosion from violence, deceit, lies, and the power hungry, I like the idea that I have access to the Holy Temple of God. It is a place where God is awake and from which He guides the destiny of the world. There I can deposit my fears and concerns with the One who sees all from His vantage point of Temple Reign. If God is who He claims to be certainly The Temple where He resides is Holy.
Then, there is the second aspect of God’s Temple described in Holy Scripture. When Jesus came to earth in human form he lived among us as God on earth, he freely gave his grace filled sacrifice to cover all our sin and asked us to trust him with our future. In that act of trust, we become God’s Temple. He moves in with us and makes his home inside of each of his children. That’s us, we are now a walking temple.
Paul the apostle reminds a new group of believers—and even us today—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; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
So, this second Temple like the first, finds God at home and present with a big welcome sign. These first two temple descriptions are warm and welcoming.
However, it is a third portrait of temple that causes me to pause. When Paul describes me as a functional piece that makes up the Holy Temple that provokes wonder.
I read that I am a brick in God’s Holy Temple that is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a Holy Temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:20-21).
It is far too easy to miss the role I get to play in the big picture of God’s Holy Temple.
When I take my eyes off the Holy Horizon, I tend to see only how poorly most of us do at being temple. It takes little effort to focus on we humans as defective temple material rather than on how those materials are transformed by The Holy to reflect Jesus.
When I take time to think about the grand picture, I have cause to be humbly amazed. God takes defective material and through His grace and the blood of Jesus makes it fit perfectly in the design of His Holy Temple that we call church.
And, what a remarkable temple it is. Its foundations stretch across the globe. It’s a building with millions of doors that are never closed. Into its doors come people with hurt, pain, and messed up lives. And from those Jesus heals, flow good works that shower residents of the nations with love and the announcement of God’s free salvation gift. When Jesus indwells defective disciples, the Temple reflects Holy.
Just maybe my clay brick when added to the Holy Temple isn’t so insignificant after all. And you are a neat brick too. Think about it, The Holy uses us to invite others to His address. His welcome sign hangs from an open door.
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection on God Shares His Temple Address—Welcome Is on His Door.
God Reflection 