“...do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price.” (1 Cor 6:19, 20a)
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First, I had forgotten about the price that was paid for me. Paul says it was “a price”; he doesn’t say whether it was big or small, but it is implied that it was a significant price.
How do you know the value of something? Is not the worth of the treasures we own determined by the price we are willing to pay for them, or energy and resources we are willing to invest for them? We place a high value on our homes so a significant portion of our income and time is spent to pay for them, maintain them, and turn them into havens for ourselves and our families. We treasure our children, and, as every parent knows, we willingly pay the price it takes to see that they are nurtured, provided for, and given ample opportunities to chase their dreams and develop into healthy, fully-rounded, educated and happy human beings. Some people treasure adventure so they devote their resources to travelling to new and exotic places, or they will risk their lives to jump out of planes, dive deep into the ocean, and climb sheer mountain cliffs.
God’s treasure is also reflected in the price that was paid. His creation is his treasure, and specifically, human beings, the part of his creation that bears the stamp of his image. When destructive forces of evil found their way into this world he was already setting a plan into motion to save it and the price had been calculated – it was his Son on the cross. This was not the weak offer of an indifferent bidder; it was the ultimate price that in no uncertain terms revealed the value of this treasure. In a way we can’t understand, God is made up of three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, so when Jesus made that willing, fatal journey to Jerusalem, it was God laying down his own life to save and bring redemption to yours and mine.
And that is the value of this unlikely treasure. I am loved beyond what can be accurately, humanly described, and I am valued beyond comprehension. When I remember the price paid for me I do not feel the need to plead, beg or ask for a sign of God’s remembering. I can rest.
Second, I forgot about belonging. When Paul says, “You are not your own…” he’s implying that we do belong to someone. Although he doesn’t say to whom, we know that the one who pays the price is the one who claims ownership.
Belonging is listed as one of the core human needs on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Belonging conveys all the things that are essential to the human soul: identity, security, family, friendship, intimacy, trust, love, giving and receiving affection, etc. When we belong to God, we are joined to him. We are called his sons and daughters. We are invited to know and be known by him intimately, and we are given all the privileges of family membership, including a future inheritance. But, more tangibly, we are also joined to his family here on earth where we are given a place of belonging, connection, and friendship, and where we are cared for and provisioned.
The Apostle John reminds us of the wonder of belonging to God: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) When I remember where and to whom I belong, I will never question if I’ve been left behind or abandoned, and I do not fear that God has forgotten of my existence.
Third, I forgot about the gift of “…the Holy Spirit within you (and me), whom you ( and I) have from God.” If you follow the story line of God’s presence among his people from the ancient days of the Old Testament to what New Testament writers call “these last days” you’ll see him moving ever closer. He was with the Israelites in the pillar of fire by night and cloud by day during their exodus from Egypt. Then he moved into the tabernacle and, later on, the temple in Jerusalem, in the place called the holy of holies. In Christ, God came to live on this earth in human form, which is much more relatable and accessible than fire and clouds and scary holy places. He walked and talked and lived among the people for 33 years in the Palestinian region. People touched him, kissed his face and feet, and shared their meals with him. But since Pentecost, he has moved even closer – he has taken up residence within our very beings.
Why do I question if God remembers me? Does God forget where he is?! He doesn’t, but apparently, I do a lot! But it's okay, because the prophets and psalmists often asked this same question. God knows our human deficits and does not condemn us for them.
Lastly, I forgot about the sacredness of the space that my life occupies – my body, my being, every moment I’m alive. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…” asks Paul. This is what I need to remember when I am tempted to minimize or diminish what my life is. The dark or difficult days do not make it any less sacred; in fact, it is often in these times that God’s greatest works are being accomplished in me or through me. They may be days of refining, days of breakthrough in which I am becoming more like Jesus. Or they are days of entering into a spiritual war zone where battles are being fought for my own spiritual freedom or someone else's.
I do not need to question, “Where are you, God?” I do not need to wonder if he’s keeping me in mind. What I do need to do is remember these four things: God does not abandon his treasures – he has an enormous ongoing investment in them; I have a secure place of belonging in which I am known and provided for; God is closer than close – he lives right inside of me and is with me in every circumstance of life; and lastly, regardless of current circumstances, my life is sacred space and it is fulfilling sacred purposes.
God, thank you for the strong reminder that it is I who has memory issues, not you. There is so much that comes against us in every day, though, challenging our faith, and some days are really dark. But thank you for your patience with us and for the reminder that we are your sons and daughters. Thank you for your unfailing faithfulness and goodness towards us. Thank you for shining your light into our circumstances, for calming our fears, and for bearing us up. Thank you.
God’s treasure is also reflected in the price that was paid. His creation is his treasure, and specifically, human beings, the part of his creation that bears the stamp of his image. When destructive forces of evil found their way into this world he was already setting a plan into motion to save it and the price had been calculated – it was his Son on the cross. This was not the weak offer of an indifferent bidder; it was the ultimate price that in no uncertain terms revealed the value of this treasure. In a way we can’t understand, God is made up of three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, so when Jesus made that willing, fatal journey to Jerusalem, it was God laying down his own life to save and bring redemption to yours and mine.
And that is the value of this unlikely treasure. I am loved beyond what can be accurately, humanly described, and I am valued beyond comprehension. When I remember the price paid for me I do not feel the need to plead, beg or ask for a sign of God’s remembering. I can rest.
Second, I forgot about belonging. When Paul says, “You are not your own…” he’s implying that we do belong to someone. Although he doesn’t say to whom, we know that the one who pays the price is the one who claims ownership.
Belonging is listed as one of the core human needs on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Belonging conveys all the things that are essential to the human soul: identity, security, family, friendship, intimacy, trust, love, giving and receiving affection, etc. When we belong to God, we are joined to him. We are called his sons and daughters. We are invited to know and be known by him intimately, and we are given all the privileges of family membership, including a future inheritance. But, more tangibly, we are also joined to his family here on earth where we are given a place of belonging, connection, and friendship, and where we are cared for and provisioned.
The Apostle John reminds us of the wonder of belonging to God: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) When I remember where and to whom I belong, I will never question if I’ve been left behind or abandoned, and I do not fear that God has forgotten of my existence.
Third, I forgot about the gift of “…the Holy Spirit within you (and me), whom you ( and I) have from God.” If you follow the story line of God’s presence among his people from the ancient days of the Old Testament to what New Testament writers call “these last days” you’ll see him moving ever closer. He was with the Israelites in the pillar of fire by night and cloud by day during their exodus from Egypt. Then he moved into the tabernacle and, later on, the temple in Jerusalem, in the place called the holy of holies. In Christ, God came to live on this earth in human form, which is much more relatable and accessible than fire and clouds and scary holy places. He walked and talked and lived among the people for 33 years in the Palestinian region. People touched him, kissed his face and feet, and shared their meals with him. But since Pentecost, he has moved even closer – he has taken up residence within our very beings.
Why do I question if God remembers me? Does God forget where he is?! He doesn’t, but apparently, I do a lot! But it's okay, because the prophets and psalmists often asked this same question. God knows our human deficits and does not condemn us for them.
Lastly, I forgot about the sacredness of the space that my life occupies – my body, my being, every moment I’m alive. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…” asks Paul. This is what I need to remember when I am tempted to minimize or diminish what my life is. The dark or difficult days do not make it any less sacred; in fact, it is often in these times that God’s greatest works are being accomplished in me or through me. They may be days of refining, days of breakthrough in which I am becoming more like Jesus. Or they are days of entering into a spiritual war zone where battles are being fought for my own spiritual freedom or someone else's.
I do not need to question, “Where are you, God?” I do not need to wonder if he’s keeping me in mind. What I do need to do is remember these four things: God does not abandon his treasures – he has an enormous ongoing investment in them; I have a secure place of belonging in which I am known and provided for; God is closer than close – he lives right inside of me and is with me in every circumstance of life; and lastly, regardless of current circumstances, my life is sacred space and it is fulfilling sacred purposes.
God, thank you for the strong reminder that it is I who has memory issues, not you. There is so much that comes against us in every day, though, challenging our faith, and some days are really dark. But thank you for your patience with us and for the reminder that we are your sons and daughters. Thank you for your unfailing faithfulness and goodness towards us. Thank you for shining your light into our circumstances, for calming our fears, and for bearing us up. Thank you.
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