Ephesians 2:21
“in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
The temple is God's house. In the Old Testament it was originally the tabernacle. It was a tent that was folded up as they traveled throughout the desert. A tent seems like an insult compared to the glory of God. Yet, it was His idea. We often have our ideas of God wrong.
The church is presently God's dwelling place. It's full of people who are half done. Here's what I Corinthians 1:26 says about us, "For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong." This team seems like an insult as well. But this was also His idea. Once again, God's thoughts are not our thoughts.
God chooses the lesser. Jesus chose to be born to a poor couple on the road. He chose to be raised in a region of poor reputation. When His ministry started, he chose average men to be His disciples. When the rich and powerful objected to His message, He was strong against them.
When asked about His followers, here's how He described them, "Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance", (Luke 5:31, 32).
Jesus said, "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God", (Matthew 5:3). This isn't just physical poverty. A wise rich person understands that he is poor in spirit, thus needing God. We are all spiritually sick and poor and in need of forgiveness. This is the lot that God wants. God's dwelling place is constructed with damaged materials. Yet, He loves each of us and is proud to be seen with us.
We are the temple as a whole, but we are also each temples of the Holy Spirit. Revelation 3:20 says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me." What a privilege. The great, all powerful, all wise, all loving God wants to come in to us. God meets that individual attention we need. We want to be seen, He sees us. We want to be heard, He hears us. We want acceptance, He accepts us.
A prodigal in trouble who made a mess of things accepts the Father. He comes in and begins reconstruction. He fills that one with love and joy. He begins to stop making messes and begins to bless others. It didn't seem possible. Yet, that's what God does. His ways are not our ways.
David marveled that God cared about him. He said in Psalms 8:4, "What is man that You think of him, And a son of man that You are concerned about him?" We are so flawed and insignificant. Yet, God greatly loves us.
God, we are so privileged that You care for us and want to bless us. You seek to live in us and make us Your temple. Help us to share that good news with others. Thank You.