Day 4: The New Tabernacle
We, personally, and We, communally (the church), are the very dwelling of God in these times. It is a time like no other in the history of the world! Well, for the last 2000 years it's been this way. But prior to that, God dwelt in a physical Tabernacle--like a building or tent. Today, He dwells within us. It is simply amazing, isn't it?! From a few different Scripture references (in today's study), we find that there is a "we," individually, and a "we," the church, in which God dwells.....
Let's speak first of the individual "we." There are many implications that come from this. Like Beth pointed out, it is important to take care of these bodies that God gave us. Gnosticism, which the apostle Paul wrote many letters fighting against, was a philosophy that believed the actions of the body did not affect the soul. It's simply not true! We all know that our actions affect our souls in a very real way. To carry this out we must have a good balance of taking care of our bodies. This quote from today's study sums it up: A healthy, holy tabernacle provides the best possible environment in which a healthy, holy soul and spirit can thrive. Just as every inch of the Tabernacle in the Old Testament was to be perfect, so God cares about the bodies He made for us! It's not about being beautiful, ugly, skinny, fat, etc. It's about being responsible and taking the best possible care of your body, and living in the knowledge that God dwells within!
Now, let's speak of the church "we." We must realize that God dwells among us as a community as well! Too often we make our Christian walk very individualistic instead of communal, as God intended. We must share with each other, encourage one another, meet each other's needs. We must love each other! All of this is part of being a follower of Jesus!
Remember, you (singular) are the temple. So, take care of yourself! And remember, you (plural) are the temple. So, take care of each other!
Do you struggle with understanding that you are the temple, God's dwelling place, either as an individual or in the community? What practical ways can we take care of these dwelling places for God?
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I have struggled with knowing that my body is a "Temple" - and that it's not my own. I have struggled my whole life about body image, and the past 5 months have been eye opening for me. I started losing weight in a healthy way to be healthy, not to be skinny or to look beautiful. I want to take care of the body that God gave me, but it's not all about looks - it much much more than that. Today's study really reminded me of that fact.
I want my body to be that a healthy, holy tabernacle that provides the best possible environment in which a healthy, holy soul and spirit can thrive!
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