A Lovely Building

While walking our dogs in a town nearby that has many

historic buildings, I snapped some photos of these

lovely places where people come to worship.

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We call them 'churches' ~ but in reality they are just buildings

made of wood and man-made materials.

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The Christian church is actually housed in flesh and blood.

~ People ~

The church, Christ's body on earth.

What a mystery, that we are being built together into a

spiritual 'building' where He actually dwells.

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The Old Testament in the Bible tells of how
God came to His people and dwelt among them,

in the ark of the covenant ... in the tabernacle,

where only one priest could enter into His presence.-

But after Jesus died for our sins and rose again,

He poured out His Spirit into the hearts of

those who love Him ~ and actually dwells in us.

"Emmanuel" ~ "God With Us"

The great mystery of God, the church.

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We come togther on Sundays and various times,

meeting in buildings or homes for fellowship and worship.
Church 'buildings' where many of us go,
do not have these historic looks with steeples,

(they might even be in an office park)

But the building that God loves

(and where He dwells)

is not made of wood.

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"For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the

Glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay (our bodies) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:6

We are human, we make mistakes, we sometimes hurt others, we find ourselves weak when we want to be strong, can be bound up by fear yet want to be free, we desire to believe God's promises but sometimes don't, we often stumble off the narrow path, don't do the things we know we should ~ so why does God desire to dwell in us? We are merely "earthly vessels", jars of clay ~ how can we be a beautiful dwelling place, God's building? I suppose that is why it is called a mystery. Why it is called "Grace" (so amazing) and He tells us in His Word that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. His glory can shine forth out of a life that is dedicated to Him, even someone who is fearful and weak, especially through someone who is fearful and weak ~ because then His power and beauty and light (and not our own) is what will be seen ~ as He transforms us into His beautiful dwelling place.