Maintaining The Temple

Good Morning!

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (New International Version, ©2011)
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

I looked in the mirror this morning. I never imagined the temple of God would look this way! It is a good thing that God doesn’t look on the outside but looks at the inside. Oh, there’s plenty wrong on the inside as well … but the old bod has taken some hits over the years. I am proud of some of my friends who have continued to work on the outside of their body … and the inside as well.

So, if you could craft the temple of God what would you put in it?

Would you adorn your temple with the gold of God’s redemptive love?
Would the silver of patience add highlights?
How about the jewels of joy, peace, goodness, and faithfulness? Where would these fit?
Would your floor have gentleness and self control?

Just how would you build that temple?

My Uncle Lewis was a tinkerer. He was always working on projects at home. When you walked into his living room, you would see one of those old 1950 style TV’s disassembled. Uncle Lewis was going to get the tubes at Sears … but somehow he got waylaid. The backyard was cluttered with old automobiles that Uncle Lewis was going to fix … when he had time and money. The only time I remember him not being busy working was on Christmas Day when the families would gather at Grandma Ward’s. Then he and Uncle David would spend an hour or so trading jokes and yarns. Uncle Lewis is a good man … a man who cares for those around him. He is 95 and still going – though I don’t think he tinkers much anymore. One might say that Uncle Lewis was busy building his temple.

You and I are similar to Uncle Lewis in this regard. Each day we tinker with the temple of God. We polish some of the gold and silver. We take a few minutes with our jewels. And we sweep our floors so they will be clean. We want our temple to shine so that the Spirit feels welcome. It is a sacred place – one set aside for God.

You are special. God said so. I believe Him.


Agape’


Mr. Jim