"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!...the place of which you have said, 'My name shall dwell there'". 1 Kings 8:27-30, excerpted.
We are in the world, but not of the world. Yet, as we live in this world, we are called to practice good stewardship of everything that God has given to us. As Christians, this also goes for the place where we gather as God's people. While it truly is, in many respects, nothing more than a simple building, we call it our church. It is a place to be together with God's people, to grow with each other, and to grow in our faith.
Yet, there also becomes a possessiveness over this place that is God's house, and not our house. You hear stories of teachers who demand "my" space for "my" things. When groups other than the membership of the congregation want to make use of the space, God's people sometimes will not want that, as they see it as an intrusion into "our" church. Sure, we want to deal wisely when others may want to make use of the facility, as it may truly have an impact on what happens in the life of God's ministry there. However, far too often, the congregational members simply do not want outsiders in their space.
That shows some of the first signs that we are forgetting whose place it is. Just as Solomon recognized in the prayer above, it is God's dwelling place, even as God is much larger than the dwelling place. Another part of thinking about this is that the space isn't to be used as we want, it is to be used as God would desire, honoring His name, serving people, and extending the Gospel message.
Whose building is it? It is God's, entrusted to us for wise use, a use which truly should bring honor and glory to the God who makes His dwelling place among humankind, serving them, and looking to draw them to the Father. Perhaps that makes a good guide when we consider the use of God's place.
We are in the world, but not of the world. Yet, as we live in this world, we are called to practice good stewardship of everything that God has given to us. As Christians, this also goes for the place where we gather as God's people. While it truly is, in many respects, nothing more than a simple building, we call it our church. It is a place to be together with God's people, to grow with each other, and to grow in our faith.
Yet, there also becomes a possessiveness over this place that is God's house, and not our house. You hear stories of teachers who demand "my" space for "my" things. When groups other than the membership of the congregation want to make use of the space, God's people sometimes will not want that, as they see it as an intrusion into "our" church. Sure, we want to deal wisely when others may want to make use of the facility, as it may truly have an impact on what happens in the life of God's ministry there. However, far too often, the congregational members simply do not want outsiders in their space.
That shows some of the first signs that we are forgetting whose place it is. Just as Solomon recognized in the prayer above, it is God's dwelling place, even as God is much larger than the dwelling place. Another part of thinking about this is that the space isn't to be used as we want, it is to be used as God would desire, honoring His name, serving people, and extending the Gospel message.
Whose building is it? It is God's, entrusted to us for wise use, a use which truly should bring honor and glory to the God who makes His dwelling place among humankind, serving them, and looking to draw them to the Father. Perhaps that makes a good guide when we consider the use of God's place.
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