"We are the temple of the living God..."

“Please listen to the prayer and humble request of Your servant today, Eternal One my God, that Your gaze might fall upon this temple all night and day, that You might look upon the place about which You said, 'My name will be there,' and hear the humble request of this place. And hear the prayer of Your servant and Your people Israel when they pray in the direction of this place. Hear them from heaven, Your dwelling place. Hear them, and forgive them.” (1 Kings 8:27-30)
 

I read somewhere about a statue of a king that was crumbled and buried in the sand. A sign above it read something about this representing this king's life. He put his energy and effort of his kingship into creating a large statue of himself that corroded. This was his legacy.

Saul as king had this ideal of being the great conqueror. He prided himself on the wars they fought and the territory they took from the Philistines. So then when David became known as a greater conqueror (Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten-thousands), Saul became jealous and threatened.

Matthew 6:19-20 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 'But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;…'”

Solomon, instead of putting his energy and resources into being a conqueror building large statues of himself (building a position of power and prestige), initially put all his energy and resources into fulfilling his calling to build a dwelling place for God.

Solomon knew that it was not the best defenses, strongest army, and/or greatest personal prestige that was be what was best for the kingdom. In faith and in following the promises given through his father, having a dwelling place for God to be among His people (accessibility and honor of God) was his (and the people of Israel's) top priority.
 
Ironically, in putting God first, he also gained significant prestige and powerful alliances for his godly wisdom. Under his reign there was peace in the land.

Bible commentary notes, “The construction of the temple is the most important accomplishment of Solomon's reign. This building both establishes and symbolizes Israel's connection to God. Once the covenant chest is place there, it is literally the meeting point between them, and the sheer opulence of the temple reveals the priorities of the government.” [1]

This legacy of the temple as a meeting place for God and His people would be recognized and a priority of the Israelites through all following generations. The temple he built would eventually be destroyed, but the Israelites would hold onto it in their hearts and eventually rebuild a replacement.

The question to ask oneself is where are you putting your energy? Are you putting into fulfilling a calling to build a dwelling place for God (for you and/or others)? And/or are you building statues, putting energy into your defenses, or conquering kingdoms for a having what we see as 'success' (ie. something 'bigger' and greater power/influence)?

Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, “For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.”

Sometimes we can be building a name for ourselves rather than a dwelling place for God and not even see it. Even spiritual leaders can end up doing this.

Mathew 7:22-23, "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you;...”
 

Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 3:9-11, “What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Somewhere in all of us, we have a God given desire to have some sort of legacy. The legacy we create and leave behind us at some point says something about the life we lived, what we contributed and what we saw as important.

Paul's legacy and passion was the church and in this, also the ones he mentored to be church leaders. He prays and agonizes over the church. He writes to the church in 2 Corinthians 11:2 , “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.”

God even seeks to create a legacy. In 1 Kings 8:51-53 Solomon prays to God, “These are Your people, the vessels of Your earthly legacy, whom You led out of Egypt and away from the iron furnace of slavery so that Your eyes may be open to the requests of those who serve You – Your people Israel- and hear them whenever they call out to You. You have set them apart from all other people on the earth; You have chosen them as vessels of Your earthly legacy.”

The people of God are his legacy. In other versions this is translated as heritage or inheritance. We represent what God sees as important and how He intentionally contributes, -spending His energy. We are what speaks of His life, death, and kingdom.

1 Peter 2:5, “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.…”

We are the temple God is building. We are what He is putting his kingly energies into bring about... His legacy... a living temple of hope to the world. A place of continual burning, with prayers being offered up that bring a pleasing aroma to God. A place of worship to God. We are temples of the presence of God... of His mercy and grace pouring out and sheltering those in need.

And united together in Him, we become this grand work of living hope that stands for all to see.

The song in the background sings, “Christ in me, the hope of glory. Be my everything.” As we put Him at the center of our living temple, we become beacons of hope to the world.

Pope Francis writes, “The one with the upper hand is God, and God is our hope! It is true that nowadays, to some extent, everyone, including our young people, feels attracted by the many idols which take place of God and appear to offer hope: money, success, power, pleasure. Often a growing sense of loneliness and emptiness in the hearts of many people leads them to seek satisfaction in these ephemeral idols. Dear brothers an sisters, let us be lights of hope!.” [2]

Lord, forgive me where I have pursued and put my energies into the things of this world for my own recognition, power, or pleasure. Give us eyes set on eternity. As the song sings, be our everything. Help us to put our energies into your bigger purposes. Let us be your living temple in the world. Fill us with Your presence and light.

1.  The Voice Reader's Bible.  Thomas Nelson.

2.  Pope Francis.  Through the Year with Pope Francis. Daily Reflections. Homily, World Youth Day, July 24th, 2013.