New & Improved:
Part Two – Temple Maintenance

This Sunday, Simon Lace brings us the latest of our short video talks. Once you have watched the video, we encourage you to reflect on the bible text and join us in the prayer that follows below.

To listen to the talk click here.
 
Readings

1 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 19 to 20 (New Living Version)
¹⁹ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, ²⁰ for God bought you with a high price. So you must honour God with your body.
 

2 Timothy chapter 4, verses 1 to 2 (New Living Version)

I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: ² Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favourable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

 
Prayer & Reflection

Father God, we thank you for the gifts that you’ve given us and we thank you for the gift of a body. God, by your Spirit would you help us to honour You and to honour the body that You have given us. Help us to emerge new and improved. Father, we pray for your protection, we pray that you would uphold us and strengthen us in all ways. Father, help us to represent you well; physically, spiritually and mentally. Thank you, Father. In Jesus’ name. Amen.


Questions to Consider

1. Have you ever considered your body to be “the temple of the Holy Spirit”?

2. Picture in your mind your ideal church building. Have some fun with this - imagine you had unlimited resources to create such a building – a bit like King Solomon building the original temple perhaps! What would your temple look like – what materials would you choose to go into it, what kind of help would you seek, and what kind of effort would you expect your staff of builders and temple workers to put into its construction and maintenance?

3. Imagine that God himself is coming to visit “your” temple. How would you like Him to find it and what might you say to Him when he starts looking around? Would you expect praise, be seeking forgiveness, or maybe a bit of both?

4. Now suppose God has sent you a message – his visit (inspection?) has been delayed (God’s a busy guy!) but He assures you He’s coming soon. Maybe you feel a bit of excitement, anxiety, hope?

5. In the light of these ideas and exercises, what changes might you plan and start acting upon, to better reflect in your body your knowledge that you were bought at a price (paid by Jesus) and your personal desire to honour God?

6. When you exercise, is that time also a prayerful, reflective time? If not, why not try and introduce this dimension to your time of “temple maintenance”?

7. What is one small change that you can make and stick to consistently, with regard to your physical wellbeing?

Simon Lace