Our Lives the Building-Blocks!

From Ephesians 2, with notes:

"So you are no longer outsiders or aliens, but fellow-citizens with every other Christian — you belong now to the household of God. Firmly beneath you in the foundation, God’s messengers and prophets, the actual foundation-stone being Jesus Christ himself. In him each separate piece of building, properly fitting into its neighbor, grows together into a temple consecrated to God. You are all part of this building in which God himself lives by his spirit."

Isn’t that a wonderful picture? We aren’t part of a household where we’re hidden away, or willfully choosing to hide ourselves, in some safe inner sanctums. We’re actually part of the Heavenly Temple that’s being built to proclaim Him for all time; each of us is playing our part. Oh, and the tie-ins here are really fun! 

Do you remember David’s passionate desire that he might be the Israelite king to finally build God a fitting Temple? Yet, due to his battle-scarred history, God makes clear that it’s actually his son, Solomon, who’s the Temple’s chosen architect. So, true to form, Solomon will only utilize the best workers and the best supplies and processes. For instance, here’s the story of his block preparations: “In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.” (1 Kings 6:7) Imagine the soundlessness of this holy Temple worksite; the blocks being slid into their perfectly-fitting locations. 

Charles Spurgeon beautifully tied that setting to our lives: “Each individual believer is being prepared, and polished, and made ready for his place in the temple; but Christ’s own hand performs the preparation-work. Afflictions cannot sanctify, excepting as they are used by him to this end. Our prayers and efforts cannot make us ready for heaven, apart from the hand of Jesus, who fashioneth our hearts aright… As in the building of Solomon’s temple, ‘there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron, heard in the house,’ because all was brought perfectly ready for the exact spot it was to occupy – so is it with the temple which Jesus builds; the making ready is all done on earth. When we reach heaven, there will be no sanctifying us there, no squaring us with affliction, no planing us with suffering. No, we must be made meet here – all that Christ will do beforehand; and when he has done it, we shall be ferried by a loving hand across the stream of death, and brought to the heavenly Jerusalem, to abide as eternal pillars in the temple of our Lord.”

Brothers and Sisters, He is doing that work in us today! How joyous the thought that He wastes not a moment in preparing us for our place in the Eternal Temple that’s for His glory! Jesus, you're just too good!