“Your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
Jesus, the living temple or tabernacle of God that was destroyed and raised again on the third day heralded the unveiling of the heart once opened to the Prince of Peace that Christ is as the chosen tabernacle and vessel into which the God’s indwelling Holy spirit is poured and rests.
It is worth reflecting on the magnitude of this wonderful truth we are now privileged to receive and enjoy.
Prior to the coming of Jesus, the spirit of God would be bestowed only on a few; those called by God for a lifetime or for a certain time as prophets and priests or rulers acting as the spiritual and governing shepherds or mouthpieces of God to his people.
Christ as Messiah was the tearer of the veil separating Holy God from relating intimately with imperfect and sin filled humanity, that God might make the hearts of men and women washed by Christ tabernacles of his glory in which he dwelt, with His Holy Spirit.
This was the fulfilled desire of God prophesied through the prophets Joel and Jeremiah:
“I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”
Joel 2:28 (NIV)
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Jeremiah 31:33-34 (NIV)
Thus, for those of us who have received Jesus, the perfect High Priest and Good Shepherd into our hearts, within us is holy ground in which the sacred, abiding, Holy and Loving presence of God has come to dwell.
We are indeed living temples being built up, extended, repaired and renewed in glory to the Lord who gave himself for us and now chooses to dwell within us. What a miracle this is and what a God this points to. We can so easily take this for granted but this is something that is a consequence of God’s own intervention on earth: the expression of a heart that did not turn away from emptying himself of all for our sake (see Philippians 2:6-7), that we might filled with all the fullness of him!
Such a work could only be initiated by God, not man and it is Christ who reveals, writes and engraves his divine signature of love, redemption and the holy, precious and righteous Word of God onto the tablet of our hearts. It does not leave room for any notion of self-effort and self-righteousness if we are to allow Christ as the divine potter to shape and mould the clay into works of his glory.
As we give our yes to God’s abiding, loving presence in our lives and choose him to rest in and follow, partaking within us is a divine labour of love fashioning us as his masterpieces (Ephesians 2:10) for His glory, shining his love and goodness to those around us.
May this lead you as it does me to extend your heart in worship and in praise Jesus who came as Immanuel, God with us that we might know the abiding presence within. Amen.
© 2021, Benjamin Trowbridge.
Abba's Dearly Beloved 