Lord, Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary
sanc~tu~ar~y
a place of refuge or safety; sacred; holy
When we sing the words of this beautiful worship song, it is like a prayer. But do we really pay attention to the words or even know what it means to be a living sanctuary?
In the Old Testament, the Lord asked Moses to build a sanctuary (Ark of the Covenant). The Ark of the Covenant was a special building that would serve as a dwelling place for the great God of heaven. As we all know, the specifications for the building were very precise.
Just as the Ark had certain specifications, so do our physical sanctuaries. Leviticus 11:41 says that we are to consecrate our bodies and be holy as he is holy. In 2 Corinthians 7:1, it says to let us purify ourselves of anything that contaminates our body or spirit in order to become completely holy in Christ.
God's plan of salvation is revealed in the earthly sanctuary. The Bible teaches that everything in the sanctuary or connected with its service was a symbol of something Jesus would do in saving us. We cannot fully understand the plan of salvation until we understand the symbolism connected with the sanctuary.
The sanctuary of the Old Testament was the place that God told Moses to tell the people of Israel to build for him. It was to be a holy place to present offerings.
The Sanctuary, as in church building, is the foundation for prayer and living water for thirsty souls. It is a place for healing, peace, and rest, and restoration.
When we are filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, we become a living sanctuary that houses the Spirit of God. Our bodies have now become the temple of the living God; our offering to Him. Just as the Ark of the Covenant was to be kept as a holy place, so are we to keep our bodies holy and pure and sacred, without spot of blemish.
Of course, we are human and fail daily, but instead of wallowing in our sin and sorrow, we need to fall on our knees, ask God for forgiveness, and then get up and begin again. The Bible says we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory, but thankfully, we have God's grace and mercy that allows us to be restored daily.
As we prepare to celebrate Easter... the death, burial and resurrection of our King, set aside time this week for prayer and fasting to prepare yourselves to be a sanctuary...aligning your body (the temple) and your spirit with God's.
As we prepare to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our King, set aside time this week for prayer and fasting to prepare yourselves to be a sanctuary...aligning your body (the temple) and your spirit with God's so that we rejoice without spot or blemish with the risen King!
P.S. -- If you live or are visiting the area of Ansonia, CT (or the surrounding areas in the CT Valley) and you do not yet have a church home or are in need of spiritual guidance for your life, I invite you to attend our services, not only for Resurrection Sunday, but every Sunday and Wednesdays for prayer, Bible Study, and worship services.
Be blessed! Be Encouraged!
Rose