Sacred Places

The Lord said to him: “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”

– 1 Kings 9:3

The saying goes that a man’s (or woman’s) home is his castle. After all, it’s a special place for family and friends that’s set apart from the troubles of the outside world. Moreover, it’s our memory-filled weekend retreat that we hate to leave when Monday mornings roll around. And it’s also where we direct so much of our income toward mortgage payments, repairs and maintenance. Whether our home is spacious and ornate or small and modest, it’s our sacred place.  

Church takes the concept of sacred to a much higher level because it involves our relationship with God. For example, many people feel closer to their Creator in a traditional worship setting — one typically characterized by stained glass windows, choirs, sanctuaries and

sacred organ music. But other Christ-followers have a different perspective. They feel comfortable with meeting in diverse locations ranging from storefronts to movie theaters. And some of them even contend that the formalities of a traditional church can hinder authentic worship. 

We may envision church as a cathedral, a coffee house or something in between, but the Bible defines it quite differently. Rather than being a structure filled with pews and crowned by a soaring steeple, the church is actually people: all those who count Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. No matter who you are and where you live — if you’re a Christ-follower — you’re part of his church called the Body of Christ.

Opinions vary. But regardless of where we gather on Sundays, we should all agree that it’s no replacement for the sacred presence of God with us. Jesus — who is God in the flesh — paid for his church with something much more valuable than money or gold. He came to earth to personally live out the human experience, and then buy our spiritual freedom and eternal future at the price of his own blood. One result is that Believers are now one body joined through a common faith. 

Yes, an awe-inspiring church sanctuary can be a holy place of prayer and celebration. But for that matter, so can the workplace, gym or supermarket. Let’s just remember that wherever we are each day, our sacred place of worship should be there as well.

Tongue Tied

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

– Exodus 20:7

Did the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 start — as legend has it — when Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern? Or did it begin when a one-legged man slipped on Mrs. O’Leary’s wet barn floor and dropped his lit pipe into some hay or wood shavings?

Except to history buffs and insurance agents, the answer doesn’t matter. But the aftermath — whatever its cause — was indeed horrific: nearly $200 million in property damage, 300 people dead and another 100,000 homeless. And all it took was a single spark.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, taught much the same lesson in his New Testament book written to some of the earliest Christ-followers. But instead of the destruction wrought

from a tiny flame, James described the incredible power of the human tongue. Although it’s only a small part of the human body, our tongues have the power to change lives: to uplift and destroy, and to bless and curse.

We know this all too well through our life experiences. How many times have we uttered something inappropriate — or maybe downright mean-spirited — that seemed to come out of nowhere? Saying the wrong thing at the wrong moment to the wrong person has cost people their careers, marriages and reputations. And the sad fact is that our words reveal what we really think deep down inside. They’re a reflection of our heart.

Not only can our poison tongues inflict damage at any time, the damage can take several different forms. Whether it’s by using God’s name flippantly or as a curse word, or if it’s through gossip, lying or sarcasm, we don’t lack for words we wish we could take back.

Back in World War II, the U.S. Government printed posters with the headline, Loose Lips Sink Ships. The message was that spies can pick up careless — although seemingly innocent — gossip about Allied troop movements, ship launches and other secret information. And when such information reaches the enemy’s ears, the result is often carnage, death and destruction. Likewise, all Christ-followers must watch their tongues to avoid causing needless, irreparable damage to relationships and reputations. Our words should instead lift up rather than put down. The Apostle Paul put it this way: 

“When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need — words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.”

The lesson here is that our words matter. And that’s particularly true with those we use toward each other, and to God.

The Big Question

It tells of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who was born as a person in the flesh through the family of King David. 

-- Romans 1:3

It’s the BIG question — the one that’s been asked by billions of people for thousands of years: 

Does God really exist?

Let’s settle this mystery once and for all. The answer is a resounding YES.

But that’s an easy claim to make. After all, how do we know that God isn’t just a creation of our imagination? The answer is all around us. First, consider the wonders and

beauty of nature, the colors of the sunset and the overwhelming ingenuity of the human body — or of any plant or animal for that matter. What are the odds that such things could simply spring to life and evolve from a random assortment of atoms and chemicals? They’re probably less than a fully functioning jet airliner assembling itself from the debris kicked up from a tornado ripping through a junkyard … and then repeating this miracle millions of times to account for every functioning organism on Earth!

One conclusion is obvious: Where there’s creation, there must be a Creator. And according to the apostle Paul, this Creator has long made his existence apparent.

“There are things about him that people cannot see — his eternal power and all the things that make him God,” we read in the first chapter of Romans. “But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand by what God has made. So people have no excuse for the bad things they do.”

So if there’s a God, what’s he like? As Christ-followers, we have a very surprising and comforting answer. And it comes from someone with firsthand knowledge. Jesus, God’s own son, tells us that the Creator of the universe is like a caring father. And better still, he’s a father who wants a relationship with you as his own child.

What an incredible concept! Instead of being some distant, non-caring entity, our God is one who wants a personal relationship with his creation: you and me. And for those who claim this truth in their lives, the world becomes a far better place — one full of hope, promise and wonder.

There’s no question about it!

Join the Family

 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

– Romans 8:15

When you were growing up, were you one of the popular kids in school? Or were you, like many people, a bit awkward and introverted? And at recess, were you one of the first ones picked for the team — or were you the odd man out just about every time?

Some things don’t change, whether it’s on the playground or in the office park. For example, how many times have you been turned down for that big promotion or lost out to another job candidate? And has the boss ever criticized your sales presentation in front of your coworkers? Rejection can be brutal.

If this strikes close to home, there’s some very good news — even for those of

us who were never asked to the senior prom or chosen for the varsity debate team. And it’s much more important and lasting.

God, the most powerful and loving Presence in the universe, not only knows everything about you, he knew you before you were even born. Your name is written on his hand. And he’s also chosen you as his heir. So once you accept his Son — Jesus — as your Lord and Savior, you become his adopted child. And as God’s child and heir, you'll share in quite an inheritance to enjoy for eternity.

That’s a lot to anticipate once God calls you to join him. But you don’t have to wait until then to enjoy some of the family benefits. One of them is the privilege of knowing God in a personal relationship. Through prayer, you can come to him directly with your joys, needs and sorrows. It’s this close, ongoing bond that helps you overcome the rough spots that you're guaranteed to face throughout life.

Jesus taught his disciples that God isn’t a strict, unknowable taskmaster who waits to zap us when we do wrong. Christ instead revealed that our Creator is a warm, reassuring and loving Father in the best sense of the word. And to the amazement of those who heard him, Jesus even referred to God as Abba — a child’s word that translates into English as Daddy. 

The incredible truth is that God has chosen you and me as his adopted children. And just as with Jesus, he wants nothing more than to hear you respond, “Yes, Abba!”