Jesus built a Temple

“The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”

Isaiah‬ ‭50‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus built a temple.

I just drove by a large church here in Northern Alabama and looked up at magnificent structure, it’s beautiful steeple pointing towards heaven, brickwork and stone, all designed as a place to come and worship God. Or at least I hope that’s the thought behind it.

You know what, Jesus did come to earth to build a temple. He spoke words and gave it life.  He opened up the inner recesses and formed the walls, the foundation, the structure and filled it with his teachings, and then the spirit that he left behind. He gave it eyes that gaze towards heaven that no man can create. He gave it a heart.

He built that temple in 12 men, a group of women and others who followed him. He built that temple in us. Not as a man-made structure to show just how proud, how well the church is doing, how much we point towards heaven. He built it out of love and sacrifice to be a living, breathing entity of what he taught.

Jesus built a temple.

He didn’t claim the synagogue as the new oasis of the spirit, and he definitely didn’t start a building fund. I’m not really sure how the first apostles even made their money other than there was sharing amongst them and dividing of what they had. It was simple, it was filled with love in the spirit and it was nothing like what we have today.

I’m not bashing. I know there is a place for each and every church. Some are places full of the spirit brimming with life, others are barely struggling to carry on. But they do exist and maybe it’s to give our feeble faith somewhere to run to when we just don’t know how. And I get that. But my own faith, it comes from knowing that I have to run first and foremost to my God. And then to those that are closest to me that I share this life with. Those that understand the struggles and understand the path that it takes to just stay relatively sane in this crazy world. 

I often joke about the fact that my temple is probably made out of secondhand wood that was left over. But if I’m being truly honest, I know the things that shine the brightest about me resonate within my faith and within the spirit that dwells within me. Not my might, but his.

As for giving to the modern church, I’ve made a vow to give as I see God leading me. Not because of multimillion dollar building funds or missions outlets that run across the United States or the world. But because of where my heart feels it will be used the most. I don’t take that lightly. It took me a long time to realize that giving what I was given is the only way to be blessed. The only way to build the walls of my own church is to give away what I have. As much as I can.

So Jesus came to build a temple. I truly believe that. The temple of the Holy Spirit - dwelling in this feeble body. This is where the work of God has feet. My feet. Your feet. This is the place where Hope begins. Within the belief of one person shared with another person, then shared with another. Not in walls, not in steeples, not in worship designed to emote the spirit of God. But in the simple humble act of being open to be a vessel for what he has for us.

Just my take.

How’s your temple doing?

~ Peace

The Burtle