10-5-2009 His Dwelling Place In Me

His Dwelling Place In Me   October 5, 2009 ~Denise Grant   "Jehovah said to Moses, "Tell the people of Israel that everyone who wants to may bring me an offering from this list: Gold, silver, bronze, blue cloth, purple cloth, scarlet cloth, fine linen, goat's hair, red-dyed ram's skins, goat-skins, acacia wood, olive oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. 'For I want the people of Israel to make me a sacred Temple where I can live among them.'"  - Exodus 25: 1-8          This verse begins the record of God's instructions for the Israelite's building of the Tabernacle; the place of His dwelling among them.        What can all these ancient and complicated details of construction mean to us today? Well, for starters - just the portable nature of the Tabernacle alone, shows God's desire has always been to be with His people. We can see this in the beginning when God sought out Adam in the Garden of Eden, and we know that in the end, God has promised that we can spend eternity with Him.        Just like the Israelites, God wants to dwell with you too. He wants to step down from His dwelling place in heaven, and spend time with those that love and worship Him. He desires quality time. Not what we scramble together as leftovers when everything else of importance and priority has taken place.        God wants your time right now – this very second – no matter what you're doing – He wants today – tomorrow – and the rest of your life, to be spent hanging out with Him.        God is saying– "I want to be involved in your life. I'm not going to elbow you out of the way and take over by force. You have to show Me you want Me here with you." What is your response to His invitation? God's invitation to you, is an invitation to give up something in return for His awesome and constant presence.        The Israelites construction of this holy dwelling place was so they could have interaction with Him, albeit, in a very limited way. Their rigid laws at times seemed nearly impossible to keep. However, we have none of those same restrictions and laws today. Instead, we are His dwelling place.        To those who have accepted His invitation, Christ lives in you. Instead of dwelling in a constructed facility, God now lives in each of us – giving us a righteousness the ancient Israelites could never attain. You have been given a life that you could never know outside of Him. Hallelujah!        And when we approach Him in honest worship, giving of ourselves, recognizing and honoring the Spirit of Christ that dwells within us, we become lovely to Him. We become a temple more beautiful than anything anyone could build, no matter how precious the materials they used.        The same invitation may only seem ancient – but it's one still open today! Won't you invite Him into your heart and life today? Your life will never be the same!     Lord God,        I thank You for Your invitation and for dwelling in me. Thank You for giving me the direction I need every day as I seek to mirror You. Thank You for fulfilling Your end of the bargain – even at times, when I forget mine.  Help me always keep Your Temple, clean.  I pray that I make Your home in my heart, a place where You feel always welcome. In Your precious name Jesus, Amen! Denise Grant - Just "clay" in the Master Potter's hands. God is the source of my existence. He has become my Lord and my friend. It is He alone who keeps me functioning each day and the absolute only reason I bother to get up in the mornings. I am a precious daughter of the Most High King and I know that I am absolutely worthless without Him! Side by side with the Savior -  ...."I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me". Philippians. 4:13  "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14