The Temple Entrusted to Us

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 12:27 pm Post subject: The Temple Entrusted to Us

The Temple Entrusted to Us

Scripture:

And he brought me again to the gate of the house, and behold waters issued out from under the threshold of the house toward the east: for the forefront of the house looked toward the east: but the waters came down to the right side of the temple to the south part of the altar. And he led me out by the way of the north gate, and he caused me to turn to the way without the outward gate to the way that looked toward the east: and behold there ran out waters on the right side.

And he said to me: These waters that issue forth toward the hillocks of sand to the east, and go down to the plains of the desert, shall go into the sea, and shall go out, and the waters shall be healed. And every living creature that creeps whither soever the torrent shall come, shall live: and there shall be fishes in abundance after these waters shall come thither, and they shall be healed, and all things shall live to which the torrent shall come.

And by the torrent on the banks thereof on both sides shall grow all trees that bear fruit: their leaf shall not fall off, and their fruit shall not fail: every month shall they bring forth first fruits, because the waters thereof shall issue out of the sanctuary: and the fruits thereof shall be for food, and the leaves thereof for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12)

You are the building of God. According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation: and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid: which is Christ Jesus.

Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? But if any man violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which you are. (1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17)

And the pasch of the Jews was at hand: and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made, as it were, a scourge of little cords, he drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen: and the money of the changers he poured out, and the tables he overthrew. And to them that sold doves he said: Take these things hence, and make not the house of my Father a house of traffic. And his disciples remembered, that it was written: The zeal of your house has eaten me up. The Jews, therefore, answered, and said to him: What sign do you show unto us, seeing you do these things? Jesus answered and said to them: Destroy this temple; and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews then said: Six and forty years was this temple in building; and will you raise it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen again from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this: and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had said. (John 2:13-22)

Reflection:

Have we ever given thought to how it is we survive from day to day? Three days without water or three weeks without food and our bodies are in peril. In days of old, the people hunted flesh and gathered fruits of the land from which to nourish their bodies, but no infant could survive without the protection of a parent until the child grows to an age where they may learn how to hunt, sow and reap. The survival of our body, the vessel of our existence, is at the mercy of water and food, yet, generations have found what is needed to survive. As it was for those past, it still remains that while we were infants, we were protected by our parents and we learned from them how to gather for our needs.

We survive from what flows and grows from the earth; therefore, we are told that we are dust and to dust we shall return (Genesis 3:19). What grows from the land and oceans is given life by water, but the water of the earth is what leaves us to thirst, and so what is of this world only sustains for a small while (John 4:13).

If it is so, that we must eat from the land and drink from the streams, but we are not able until we come of age and learn from the generation before us, then, we must ask, who cared for those who were first? Who protected and taught them? With all the challenges of the world, what has enabled it to flourish with such life when in the wilderness it is so difficult to survive? How did the first infant grow to become nations reaching all the regions of the earth? Whence came the first father and the first mother who brought forth the generations? Who protected and cared for them?

Through all the theories and all the studies of the world, those who do not know their Creator explain away the mysteries before us as the result of random reactions of chemistry which somehow found a means to sustain themselves into an unfathomably beautiful and complex ecosystem. Perhaps we have learned how some elements of the universe function, but what is touted as the facts of our existence still cannot explain such significant questions as to what put everything in motion? We must ask, who protected the first to survive as the rest evolved, especially when survival is so difficult without the fruits and water of the earth and an understanding of the means to gather and consume while defending against predators and facing the elements of weather. Beyond the mere physical means of our existence, we must also ask, what is the source of our consciousness, our creativity, our freewill? What is the spark of life beyond interactions of chemistry? What is the purpose for our daily journey? Why are we all brought together on this small portion of the universe? What does our existence matter?

Some believe science has revealed what we need to know, but others know that science barely scratches the surface of comprehending His creation. Those who know their Creator believe there is so much more beyond our senses.

The source of life within this world is fragile. In the flash of a moment, death consumes. No matter the labor, no matter the toil, what was formed from the dust of the world shall pass to the dust. Blessed are we that One walked among us to give us the food and drink of eternal life (John 6:54) and the light for the path to His eternal kingdom (John 8:12). Blessed are we that we were formed to be a temple for His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), a temple of His love.

What God has built, He created for a holy purpose, for all which is good is of God. It is evil which seeks to pervert and to separate souls from their Creator; dashing them to the darkness, blinding them to the blessings which come from Him. He has given us what we need for our moment within the world, but He will give so much more for those who enter into His eternal kingdom. He created us that we may be a temple for His Holy Spirit, and He has entrusted us to be the keeper of the temple as we make the choices of our daily journey. If we are to keep holy His temple, we must adhere to His commandments to love.

He has not left us alone to face evil, for He has given us the Holy Spirit and one another. He has given us the One from which to receive the blessings of His love and those who surround us through which to share what is of God so that all may be nourished and all may grow. Blessed are those who seek to keep holy His temple, for within them will grow the light of eternal love.

It is our tendency to comprehend from what we experience within the world, but as we seek Him, we will comprehend what is so much more. He has tried to teach us His blessings, but we struggle to understand His mysteries or that He speaks of life beyond which is raised from dust. Though the endeavor of people is to build a temple in which to give glory to God, it does not become a temple of God until hearts of love join within. The people may go through motions and make professions of faith, but all is vain if their hearts are not filled with love.

Those with hearts filled with hate defile His temple, not just the proclaimed building which is entered, but the temple which can only be raised from the heart. Blessed are those who enter His church with love, for it is through the temple of the love filled heart which His blessings are spread and through which all may see His great glory.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier