Study from God’s Word…1st Chron. 16: 37-43; 2nd Sam. 8: 15-18 [1st Chron. 18: 14-17]; 2nd Sam. 9: 1-13; 2nd Sam. 7: 1-3 [1st Chron. 17: 1-2]; 2nd Sam. 7: 4-17 [1st Chron 17: 3-15]; 2nd Sam. 7: 18-29 [1st Chron. 17: 16-27]… Passage for Reflection: 1st Chronicles 17: 1 … NIV 1 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent."
My Journal for Today: Studying the interactions of King David, the Prophet Nathan, and The LORD in these passages today has interesting; and, at least for me, convicting implications on where our LORD resides and how we honor or dishonor Him in His residence, … i.e., His Temple.
In our readings today from 1st Chronicles and the parallel passages in 2nd Samuel, we read how God liked and affirmed David’s idea to build a Temple, a permanent residence for God, rather than where the LORD had been housed for so many years … i.e., in an ark in a tent as the people wandered in the wilderness. David wanted to honor God and give Him an elaborate and permanent residence, where the Ark and God’s place on earth could be established in a Tabernacle of Worship for God. And God apparently like the idea, though David himself was never allowed to build the Temple. We know, as we read ahead in God’s word, that this honor and task fell to David’s son, Solomon.
But our focus verse for today, 1st Chronicles 17: 1 (along with 2nd Sam. 7: 1), documents David’s conviction for not doing enough to honor God’s residence in the Ark of the Covenant, feeling that God’s residence should be honored with more than just the impermanence of a tent. And this raises my conviction from meditating on these passages.
My question is, simply stated: What do we do to honor God in His established residence, … i.e., His Temple, … our bodies? We do a lot to honor God with the collective family places for God’s worship and service, … i.e., the church structures and organizations we build and maintain. However, when it comes down to the bottom line of honoring God where HE has chosen to reside, I’m afraid we do not show our LORD the honor He is due by how we maintain His temple, … i.e., our bodies. And how do we know that our bodies are His temple? Well that one is laid out in God’s teaching, through Paul, in 1st Cor. 3: 16-17 and 1st Cor. 6: 19-20 two passages you hopefully know by heart or at least by reference to subject matter [links provided, however].
My friends, I don’t do enough to prioritize my life in a way that honors “God’s Temple” (i.e., my body) in the way it should be honored. That is the reason, this year, as I undertook the discipline to read through the entire Bible, to honor God with my time and my mental devotions, I also decided to document – DAILY – what I was doing to maintain the habits which allow me to steward God’s Temple, … my body. And each day, thus far through this year, I have documented, for an accountability partner and for a group, what I’m doing in daily disciplines involving eating, exercise, and the avoidance of sin patterns which pollute my body, … God’s Temple.
It was more than a New Year’s resolution this year. Like King David, I became convicted that I needed to do more to give God the residence He deserved in my life. So, every day this year, I’ve been recording how I do on certain body stewardship disciplines.
No, I’m not perfect on them; but thus far I’m doing much better during this year to be a more God-honoring steward of the Temple He has given me to maintain and manage for His glory. My prayer, below, will be that I will continue to do this for this year … and beyond.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me honor You more deeply by keeping Your Temple clean; and I pray You give me the enabled grace to honor you with how I maintain Your Temple, … my body. Amen
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