The Holy Spirit

March 17, 2020

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

What an amazing and transformative thought! We read in the Old Testament about the breath-taking moments when the Spirit of God came to man in a moment of time. Moses had to cover his face because the Spirit’s presence transformed his face so much that people would cover their own faces from the brilliance. When the Holy Spirit descended to a group at worship, they said, “The glory filled the temple!”

When the Holy Spirit truly comes to a person or a place there is always a transforming difference. Paul tells us that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. How could it be that our ordinary human bodies with so many flaws and frailties could be a place the Holy Spirit of God would want to live?

We ARE valuable. We ARE the place the Holy Spirit wants to dwell and transform. We were purchased; bought with an unfathomable price. Through His death, Jesus paid for our sins and brokenness and gave us a restored relationship with God the Father. Jesus said that after His resurrection He would send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to be IN us. Incredible.

We can anticipate and enjoy the filling of the Holy Spirit because we are no longer just “ordinary, flawed people.” We are precious and purchased with the blood of Jesus and are fit places for the Holy Spirit to live. He wants us to be like the Old Testament temple---filled with His glory!

My part of that is to honor God with my body. What does that look like? Perhaps this will help you understand in a way that it helps me. Having my husband live in our home with me was without a doubt at the top of the list in human honors for me. I am still grateful and awed that he chose me. I loved him and was loved in return so well that I wanted everything in our home to be something he enjoyed and wanted. When we first got married, I wouldn’t buy anything for the house or change decorations without seeing how he liked it. As we were married for some years I grew to understand him, and our tastes merged. I loved the same things as he and I didn’t feel compelled to ask about everything—I knew we were in this together. It was my joy to honor him, and he honored me in return.

That’s the way it is with the Holy Spirit. I don’t want anything going on in the temple we share that dishonors Him. He showers me with so much love and protection in return that I am honored and protected as well. What an honor to be a temple!

• Holy Spirit, please nudge me if there’s any attitude, habit, or action that dishonors You in my temple. I want to fully honor You.