DWELLING PLACE OF GOD!

Remember last week’s identity? You are a saintly citizen and a member of God’s household! And it just keeps getting better!

Look what’s next:

“…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. ” ~ Ephesians 2:20-22

My 8-year-old grandson has appointed me as the official Lego piece finder. That’s right, building with Lego is one of his favorite activities. We sit together on the floor, Legos spread out everywhere and begin building. It’s not long before I’m recruited.

“Nuh (my grandchildren’s affectionate term for grandpa), I need you to find a 2×6 flat red block.”

I take my job seriously and begin stirring the Legos searching for the specific piece. If we’re following instructions for a Lego kit, we must add the correct piece at the right step in the building process to have the satisfaction of completing it according to the photo on the box.

The posture of a living stone is a malleable willingness for the purpose and processes of God who is ever shaping you into His likeness for perfect alignment in His abode.

God has a build in the process of construction. The pieces are you and me – Citizens of God’s kingdom and Members of God’s household.

Construction started with Jesus. He is the starting place of the building. The groundbreaking ceremony commenced on the third day after Jesus’ crucifixion when He rose from the dead. At Jesus’ resurrection, the earth quaked giving up a multitude of saints who also broke the ground coming out of their tombs (Matthew 27:53).

Jesus became the firstborn from the dead. And in Ephesians 2:20, we see that Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone for the whole building. The ground was broken, Jesus was laid as the cornerstone, the foundation was built with the apostles and prophets, and now we are being fitted together as we fill out the structure.

Individually, each one of us is a holy temple in the Lord. And together we are being built for a DWELLING PLACE OF GOD in the Spirit. Sidenote: Remember, everything about our identity comes from being IN JESUS.

“For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” ~ 2 Corinthians 6:16

“At that day [when the Holy Spirit comes in] you will know that I [Jesus] am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” ~ John 14:20

“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” ~ John 14:23

Prophesied by Isaiah, Jesus is the cornerstone upon which His people (those in Christ) would be built:

“Therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not be ashamed or give way or hasten away [in sudden panic].” ~ Isaiah 28:16 (AMPC)

As the building material for God’s dwelling place, you are “LIVING STONES”!

“…you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” ~ 2 Peter 2:5

God started the building with Jesus. The foundation is made of those who have preceded us. As living stones, you are strategically fitted into the building precisely to adorn the Lord’s dwelling place.

My dear, Brother and Sister, agreeing with God concerning your value could not be more important than now. Consenting to be a “living stone” placed skillfully by the Master in alignment with the Cornerstone [Jesus], empowers you to exhibit the nature of Jesus living the abundant life He promised.

The posture of a living stone is a malleable willingness for the purpose and processes of God who is ever shaping you into His likeness for perfect alignment in His abode.

Imagine for a minute the magnificent King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Creator, and Ruler of all making His dwelling place YOU! And corporately, US (the Ekklesia)!

As King Solomon dedicated the Temple of the Lord, he declared:

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” ~ 1 Kings 8:27

And that’s the key. Solomon built the temple – albeit at God’s command. But he knew God’s presence would not be confined to a building made by hands. Now God is the builder of His own temple. Not gold, silver, precious jewels, wood carvings, and elaborate stonework. He is building a living dwelling place – an eternal one! A place where He chooses to “contain” Himself. And it’s you, me, us together in Jesus! It is an intimate and relational dwelling place.

I don’t know about you, but the estimation of my value just went through the roof. Not my estimation of value, but His estimation of my value! And He wants me to agree with Him. I don’t even have to do the math, the figures, or the valuation. He’s done it for me by declaring WHO I am! By making space and placing me perfectly as an essential building block for His dwelling.

Eventually, with no Lego pieces left, and a final page turn of the step-by-step instruction manual, my grandson and I give each other a satisfactory nod and pronounce a celebratory holler! A few high fives later, we proudly grandstand the Lego build for everyone in the house to admire! Every important piece in the build is accounted for and positioned to display the masterpiece!

I wonder… Does God get that excited about the dwelling place He’s building? Every piece (you) placed perfectly. I wonder… will He give a celebratory holler? I wonder… will He grandstand His build to all His creation? To principalities and powers? To the earthly and heavenly realm? Will He proudly display His masterpiece?

I think so.

HIS DWELLING PLACE! YOU! It’s where He loves to be – You’re where He loves to be!

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