Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Building A Better Building
This morning as travel is again restricted, many thoughts went through my head. I think about people that must stay in their homes. Families that depend on work for the money they need to buy food, pay rent, and survive, huddled together looking for that better weather to come. The idea of families spending more time together seems good, but the additional challenges that can result do not seem so good. And then I think of all of the buildings we build in the name of God so our groups can have their own place to go. But what about the people themselves? Do these new structures really help the people? What promotes the kingdom of God more – another building or people helping each other to get their needs met? God has given us so much; what are we building with what He has given us? These are real questions, and they should be considered. If we are to imitate God, what is it that God is building?
Psalms 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
That sounds like there is a whole lot of building happening by God. But it is with and in people. Let’s look at another example.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Looks like Paul, at least here, believes the building is the human. And he repeats that again later.
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
This is not an attempt to say that we should not have places to meet. But it does give rise to a question. Why is it that there are no (as in zero) references to building physical buildings once the new covenant was established? Shouldn’t there be at least one reference somewhere? And the only other references that speak to building a structure refer to the temple that would be built or rebuilt from time to time, or of the synagogues in the towns where believers were (one per town, by the way). I do not have an answer, but that does not stop me from asking the question. What are we building, really, with the resources God has given us; and with these resources are we doing all we can to promote the kingdom of God?
Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You. You alone are worthy to be praised. You alone are the Ruler of the universe. You alone are our deliverer, our healer, and our provider. You have given us salvation through our Messiah. Help us to know what to do and where to turn. Help us to use Your resources to their best potential. Help us to know the path to follow. We don’t want to meet You face to face only to have You ask us why we used our resources in an odd way. Please tell us now. Please restore Your mighty presence in the earth. Please show us as a token for good that all men may know that You alone are God. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.