Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. [Exodus 25:8 (NLT)]
God directed Moses to build Him a miqdâsh, a sanctuary or sacred place. That there are 50 chapters of Scripture devoted to its construction tells us that it was of great importance to the Israelites. At first, this sanctuary was the holy tent known as the Tabernacle and, once completed, Scripture tells us the glory of the Lord filled it. In Solomon’s day, God’s sanctuary became the Temple in Jerusalem where it became the center of worship. Jewish law even demanded that every man had to make a pilgrimage to the Temple three times a year.
When the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, God was not left homeless. The glory of the Lord didn’t disappear because God never lived in a tent or building. While God’s presence was centered on the Tabernacle, it was not limited to it because no building, place, or nation can contain Him! He is with us wherever we are. God wanted the sanctuary built not so he could live in it but so that He could shâkan (settle down, reside, abide, or dwell) with the people! Where we worship God isn’t important; what is important is that we do worship Him!
As it turns out, the church at which I regularly worship has no walls; it is located in a park by the beach. Even though our church has left the building, it is as much a Tabernacle as the tent of the Israelites, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Washington’s National Cathedral, a home church in China, a pub outreach in Pennsylvania, or a SK8 ministry’s skateboard park. A building isn’t necessary for worship because our bodies serve as God’s dwelling place.
Just because God isn’t confined to a building, however, doesn’t mean we should skip attending church! The Law required Jews to worship at the Temple three times a year but many who claim to be Christians only make it twice: Christmas and Easter (if even then). There are many golfers, fishermen, bikers, beach-goers, and sports fans who say they worship God while doing their favorite weekend activity. Asking God to sink a putt, saying “Oh, my God!” when you land a big fish, taking His name in vain when the running back fumbles, or a quick grace said over Sunday dinner are no substitute for corporate worship! Although we can worship God anywhere and everywhere (even on TV or the Internet), it’s important to meet with fellow believers. Church isn’t just sixty to ninety minutes of song, prayers, and message.
The Apostle Paul points out that we are all part of the body of Christ and a body can’t function without all of its parts. It’s at church where we meet our brothers and sisters in Christ and have the opportunity to be compassionate or accept a kindness, to offer prayers or be lifted in prayer, to love and be loved, to be inspired or offer encouragement, to assist or receive help, to instruct or to learn, and to make friendships and be held accountable. When we come together as the Church, we sing our praises, meet at the Lord’s table, partake of His body and blood, and welcome others into the beautiful body of Christ. While God may have left the building, He hasn’t left the church and neither should we.
Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man. [D.L. Moody]
Last week, after posting the second of two devotions mentioning David Bennett, Sr. (who received a pig’s heart in a ground-breaking transplant), I checked news links for an update on his condition. I was surprised to learn that 34 years ago, when Bennett was just 23, he was convicted of stabbing Edward Shumaker seven times, a violent assault that left the 22-year-old paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Bennett was sentenced to 10 years in prison and served 6 of those years before returning to society and moving on with his life. As for Shumaker, after enduring 19 years of staph infections, sepsis, bedsores, a stroke, and moving in and out of nursing homes, he died a week before his 41st birthday.
Although Elijah had just won an amazing victory over Baal and his prophets, we find the prophet running for his life in 1 Kings 19. The journey of over 120 miles left him physically exhausted and, having endured so many setbacks and challenges, the disheartened prophet was emotionally exhausted, as well. Wanting what he saw as a hopeless situation to end, He begged the Lord for death and he’s not the only one of the Bible’s heroes to do so. Overwhelmed by the heavy burdens he carried, Moses cried to God, “If you are going to continue doing this to me, then kill me now. If you care about me, put me to death, and then I won’t have any more troubles.” [Numbers 11:15] A discouraged and frustrated Jonah told God it would be better for him to die than to live. Job, in his despair and agony, and Jeremiah, in his disappointment after decades of prophesying with no appreciable results, were so miserable that they cursed the day they were born! Even the Apostle Paul admitted having been nearly overwhelmed by his troubles. Yet, as hopeless at their situations seemed, none of them died when they wanted to and none took their own lives. God did not abandon them and they did not abandon life.
“They are to be pitied, not….” Not what? Author C.S. Lewis did not complete the sentence and I don’t think the omission was by accident. When I read the above passage, I thought of the words I (as a Christian) should use to replace the ellipsis; they are not to be reviled, hated, judged, condemned, berated, scorned, abused, or despised. Regretfully, my initial reaction upon running across the scum of the earth—the rapists, molesters, traffickers, exploiters, extorters, attackers, murderers, deceivers, hate-spewers, and tyrants that seem to populate our world—is more likely to be the exact opposite. Rather than a feeling of pity, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, or love, it’s one of outrage, loathing, and disgust.
The Bible is filled with evidence of God’s goodness and the great (and miraculous) things He’s done for His people. Daniel emerges unscathed from a lion’s den, David defeats Goliath and the shepherd boy becomes a king, wisdom and riches are given to Solomon, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego aren’t even scorched from a fire. Water is parted more than once, the walls of Jericho collapse, jail doors miraculously open, and storms cease at a word. Armies are led to victory, manna falls from heaven, fish and bread multiply, the barren give birth, the sick and lame are healed, and the dead rise. The Bible is full of marvelous accounts of miracles, majesty, and triumphs.
Although we try to keep Christ in Christmas, many of our ideas about Christmas aren’t Bible based. In spite of the delightful carols, the gospels make no mention of a little drummer boy, cattle lowing, Jeanette or Isabella, a partridge in a pear tree, and, rather than mid-winter, it’s more likely that Jesus was born in early fall.
Devotions of the Heart 