We are His Workmanship (1 Kings 5:17, 1 Kings 6:7)
The building of the Temple of God.
The first step. The king commanded the builders to quarry stones. In 1 Chronicles 22:5, we read that the House was to be 'Exceedingly Magnificent' .
Whatever we have to do for God must be of the highest quality, without any shoddy work. Offer the best for God. The stones for the foundation were to be of the top quality. The success of a building does not depend on its looks but on its foundation.
The foundation of our Faith is Jesus Christ. He is a precious foundation. It cost God a lot but for us it is free. God gives us a free Salvation, though costly to God. Peter the Apostle tells us in 1 Pet.2:5 that we were bought with a price, the Blood of Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle tells us in 1 Cor.3:10-11 that there is no other foundation for our Faith, than Jesus Christ, therefore let us be careful how we build on this Foundation.
All the work for the House of God was done away from its site, at the quarry, away from where the Temple was to be built which was Holy ground. Stones speak of people and as such we are holy people to the Lord our God. We are the ones who make up the Temple of the Lord, a Holy Church. God is the One who works in us to fashion us in the image of Christ, a Methodical Worker, slowly chipping away the rough edges so that we can fit perfectly into His building, the Church. God works to bring perfection for He asks us to be perfect-'Be perfect, for I am perfect' .
We were once rough stones in this world, not a people. But in the hands of the Master we are being fashioned into the people of God. In the eyes of the world we may be esteemed as nothing but in God's eyes we are precious, holy, perfect, valuable.
While the building was being built no one could estimate its shape or appearance. It is God who brings something out of nothing to a final product of great value and beauty. It is His work.
When Ananias argued with God about Saul's worthiness God told him that Saul was a chosen vessel specially picked for the Masters use-Acts 19:10-16. God knows that when He finishes His work in a person He will have someone of value to adorn His House, ' It is God who works in you...' God is a persistent, patient worker who is determined to make a final product of the finest quality out of us-Jer.18:1-6.
We have a great responsibility in all these matters. We need to yield our lives to Him to be obedient people in His hands to fashion us according to His will. Why does He persist? Because He loves us. His glory is at stake.
The building of the Temple of God.
The first step. The king commanded the builders to quarry stones. In 1 Chronicles 22:5, we read that the House was to be 'Exceedingly Magnificent' .
Whatever we have to do for God must be of the highest quality, without any shoddy work. Offer the best for God. The stones for the foundation were to be of the top quality. The success of a building does not depend on its looks but on its foundation.
The foundation of our Faith is Jesus Christ. He is a precious foundation. It cost God a lot but for us it is free. God gives us a free Salvation, though costly to God. Peter the Apostle tells us in 1 Pet.2:5 that we were bought with a price, the Blood of Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle tells us in 1 Cor.3:10-11 that there is no other foundation for our Faith, than Jesus Christ, therefore let us be careful how we build on this Foundation.
All the work for the House of God was done away from its site, at the quarry, away from where the Temple was to be built which was Holy ground. Stones speak of people and as such we are holy people to the Lord our God. We are the ones who make up the Temple of the Lord, a Holy Church. God is the One who works in us to fashion us in the image of Christ, a Methodical Worker, slowly chipping away the rough edges so that we can fit perfectly into His building, the Church. God works to bring perfection for He asks us to be perfect-'Be perfect, for I am perfect' .
We were once rough stones in this world, not a people. But in the hands of the Master we are being fashioned into the people of God. In the eyes of the world we may be esteemed as nothing but in God's eyes we are precious, holy, perfect, valuable.
While the building was being built no one could estimate its shape or appearance. It is God who brings something out of nothing to a final product of great value and beauty. It is His work.
When Ananias argued with God about Saul's worthiness God told him that Saul was a chosen vessel specially picked for the Masters use-Acts 19:10-16. God knows that when He finishes His work in a person He will have someone of value to adorn His House, ' It is God who works in you...' God is a persistent, patient worker who is determined to make a final product of the finest quality out of us-Jer.18:1-6.
We have a great responsibility in all these matters. We need to yield our lives to Him to be obedient people in His hands to fashion us according to His will. Why does He persist? Because He loves us. His glory is at stake.
