"We heard Him [Jesus] say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands, (Mark 14:58)." "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)."
As Christians saved by grace, our bodies become the dwelling place of God. By living in the "beauty of holiness" (Psalm 29:2), our hearts will grow in faith, humility, justice, mercy, and love. Even as the Temple, God's dwelling place in the Old Testament, was physically beautiful, so should our hearts be beautiful spiritually in our devotion to Him. (To read of the Temple's structure, see Exodus 36:8-39:43.)
"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time... (Ecclesiastes 3:11). God loves beauty. He created the world, people, and life to be enjoyably beautiful. Once sin entered the world, earth began to darken and become corrupt. Yet even under the curse, beauty and design can still be seen in God's creation. We are created in God's image and we can reflect God's glory by living for Him. Our motives are most important. God wants our hearts foremost, and if our hearts are devoted, orderly, and lovely, our physical lives will demonstrate the same.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 commands,"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Every thing God has for us to do can be done to its best. We can dress decently. We can show compassion towards coworkers. We can take the time to help an elderly couple mow their lawn on the way home from work. We can take interest in our family members' struggles and joys. We can walk the extra mile. Why? Because if we truly love the Lord, we will love others more than ourselves and our own interests. As the verse above says, we will never have the chance to live these things again. In reality, genuine happiness comes not from attaining our own pleasures, but these of others. Our second highest calling in life should be to point others to a better way: Jesus Christ. The very best way to do this is to make our love relationship with God as top priority. God may not have given you many material things, but your heart and all that surrounds it can be beautiful by adorning it with God's grace and holiness.
How inviting does your life look to others? Would they trust you with their burdens? Are you trusting the Lord with yours? Is your heart a pleasant dwelling place for the Lord?
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