A Living Sanctuary

Scripture:  I Corinthians 6:19-20 -  Do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought with a price.  Therefore, honor God with your body.

In the Old Testament, God chose to dwell in the tabernacle and later in the temple.  In the New Testament, God surely doesn’t choose to dwell in the temple, since it was God who tore the curtain of the temple from top to bottom.  (Mark 15:37-38 – “And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. 38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.)  Now when I think of a sanctuary, I don’t think about a building/place. God has not chosen any building to dwell in after the temple in Jerusalem.  I’m so grateful that Jesus, the Son of God and God the Son, died on the cross for our sin  --   and He rose again!    (I Corinthians 15:3-4)  
I Corinthians 3:16 says “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in You?”  When you invited Jesus Christ into your life, you were placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit!  (I Corinthians 12:13)  Aren’t you appreciative that your sins have been forgiven and that the Holy Spirit has been placed in you, which comforts you (John 14:16-26), gives you joy (Romans 14:17),  discernment (I Corinthians 2:10-16), fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), and gifts (I Corinthians 12:3-11)?  

A song that I love entitled “Sanctuary” says:
Lord prepare me
To be a sanctuary
Pure and holy
Tried and true
With thanksgiving
I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for You

As a sanctuary, God wants us to be a safe place for people in our sphere of life to experience God’s love.  He wants us to be a refuge for those who are hurting and burdened. In our daily walk and/or lifestyle we have to remember that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, which have been placed in us from God, and that we have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus.  Therefore, we should honor God with our bodies.  Everything we do, we have to remember that God is present.  (I Corinthians 6:19-20).  How pure/holy is your sanctuary?  Paul was directly talking about sexual immorality.  Do you ask the Lord to cleanse your life/lifestyle of anything that doesn’t bring honor/glory to Him?  

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father:  Thank You so much that I am bought with the price of  the  precious blood of Jesus Christ. He suffered, bled, and died for my sins.  Help me to be a better reflector of Your light.  Help me to yield to the Holy Spirit that You have placed within me.  I desire to take more seriously the decisions I make in every area of my life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

(by Marsha Williams)