Easter is right around the corner. A few days ago Mom asked me if we could have our family Easter dinner at my house. I was happy to oblige, but naturally started thinking about housecleaning chores, and yard work I hoped to get done before the day arrived. I also thought about how nice it would be if I had a few Easter decorations out. The problem was, most of my decorations consist of eggs, chicks, and bunnies. If I was going to decorate, I longed to draw attention to the real reason for our celebration. I thought about bringing in the large cross that we use as a Christmas tree from the storage building, or putting decals on the door that say, "Jesus is Risen." I longed to bring recognition to the Savior!
Then a thought occurred to me. I should exude Jesus to the degree that I don't need anything else to declare Him. That's what He really desires. Listen to the words of one of His prayers shortly before He went to the cross. "The glory which you have given Me I have given them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and Loved them, even as You have loved Me." John 17:22-23. Jesus wasn't just praying for oneness with His disciples who were living at that time. This prayer for was for us too. Hear these wonderful words. "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17:20-21. He wants each of us to be vessels of His love --- living monuments. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says: "Do you not know that your body is a temple 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 body."
Christians are temples --- dwelling places ---- of the Holy Spirit. First Kings chapter six is one of the places in the Bible where details are given about the construction of the temple. Verses 21-22 tell us "Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold...He overlaid the whole interior with gold..." I can't begin to imagine the splendor of such a temple, yet 1 Peter 1:7 informs us that our faith is more precious than gold. We are temples more splendid to God than the original temple Solomon built. That is something to contemplate considering what David said about the temple. "The house that is to be built for the Lord shall be especially magnificent, famous and glorious..." 1 Chronicles 22:5.
No monument we can erect, no decorations we can display have the potential to glorify God the way each of us can! Hallelujah! "...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1. The following are just a few of the ways the Bible tells us to offer our bodies:
Mind - "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --- if anything is excellent or praise-worthy --- think about such things." Philippians 4:8
Mouths - "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14
Hands - "She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." Proverbs 31:20 (referring to the virtuous woman).
Feet - "...how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15
spirit - "You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:4
"The best way I can recognize Jesus
and entice others to see,
is for Jesus the loving Savior
to be recognizable in me."
Then a thought occurred to me. I should exude Jesus to the degree that I don't need anything else to declare Him. That's what He really desires. Listen to the words of one of His prayers shortly before He went to the cross. "The glory which you have given Me I have given them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and Loved them, even as You have loved Me." John 17:22-23. Jesus wasn't just praying for oneness with His disciples who were living at that time. This prayer for was for us too. Hear these wonderful words. "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17:20-21. He wants each of us to be vessels of His love --- living monuments. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says: "Do you not know that your body is a temple 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 body."
Christians are temples --- dwelling places ---- of the Holy Spirit. First Kings chapter six is one of the places in the Bible where details are given about the construction of the temple. Verses 21-22 tell us "Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold...He overlaid the whole interior with gold..." I can't begin to imagine the splendor of such a temple, yet 1 Peter 1:7 informs us that our faith is more precious than gold. We are temples more splendid to God than the original temple Solomon built. That is something to contemplate considering what David said about the temple. "The house that is to be built for the Lord shall be especially magnificent, famous and glorious..." 1 Chronicles 22:5.
No monument we can erect, no decorations we can display have the potential to glorify God the way each of us can! Hallelujah! "...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1. The following are just a few of the ways the Bible tells us to offer our bodies:
Mind - "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --- if anything is excellent or praise-worthy --- think about such things." Philippians 4:8
Mouths - "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14
Hands - "She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." Proverbs 31:20 (referring to the virtuous woman).
Feet - "...how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15
spirit - "You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:4
"The best way I can recognize Jesus
and entice others to see,
is for Jesus the loving Savior
to be recognizable in me."
