2 Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1
Who would think of
setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we
are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this
way:
“I’ll live in them, move into them;
I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people.
So leave the corruption and compromise;
leave it for good,” says God.
“Don’t link up with those who will pollute you.
I want you all for myself.
I’ll be a Father to you;
you’ll be sons and daughters to me.”
The Word of the Master, God.
With
promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean
break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and
without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the
worship of God.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved
Last night when the 10:00 news
came on, the reports started with the murder of a baby, followed by an
account of a former swim coach who had molested children...and these
were the “lead news stories” for our state! Greg flipped through the
channels to something that was not a news program as I said to him,
“THIS is why I have just about quit watching the news!” And while you
may feel that changing the channel represents me burying my head in the
sand and pretending that these things don’t happen, this is not the
case.
I am all for being informed. I do pay attention to the
news and current events. But I think the ante has been “upped” between
news outlets to see who can lead with the most heinous, disgusting and
upsetting stories. I know that abuses and tragedies occur every single
day…but I don’t need a steady diet of the accounts of their every
detail. I know that in my own situation, the devil uses such things to
dig at me and say… “See…this world is really, really bad! If your God
is so great and mighty, why are these awful things happening?”
I
have said before that I don’t know “why bad things happen to good
people.” I do not ¬– and will probably never – understand why God
allows human tragedies and atrocities. I cannot possibly comprehend His
purposes – that is just beyond my finite human grasp. But I refuse to
fill my heart and mind with such thoughts and allow fear to run
rampant. Instead, I am looking for accounts of ways that God is working
in the lives of others. I am more interested in hearing about an aide
on my niece’s school bus who takes the children’s stuffed animals home
to her “hospital” and repairs their holes and gives them new filling.
I’m
more inclined to spend a half hour watching songbirds and squirrels
feed outside our window than to sit and listen to reports of robberies,
shootings and the latest sex scandal. I am still working on choosing
the 30-minute workout over 10 minutes spent devouring a leftover mini
cheesecake from Thanksgiving dinner…but I know I am a flawed individual –
and a forgiven sinner! I have “unfriended” those who rile me up over
divisive political and social issues…and I am working on letting unkind
comments and criticisms roll off my back.
The more we focus on
God and the beauty of a life in Christ, the easier it becomes to cleanse
our hearts and minds of negativity and ugliness. The more we dwell on
the love of Jesus – both His love for us and ours for Him – the less
time we have to listen to the whispers of Satan. As we learn to operate
with confidence and faith in God and His promises, we find that there
is less room in our lives for fear and the crippling debilitation it
brings to our lives.
As I focus more on God, I am better able to
digest and process “the news” of the day. I silently say a prayer for
those who have been violated in some manner…for those who find
themselves compelled to air their dirty laundry in the media…and for
those who operate in hate and fear. And then I ask God to fill me with
thoughts of His love and care…to replace any angst with joy and
peace…and to remind me that I am His temple – ready to be filled with
His goodness.
The words of this passage are ringing in my ears…”let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without.” I’m more than ready to do this…aren’t you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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