Or 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 with a price. So glorify God in your body
"Church, get your house in order", is what I used to always hear in church when I was younger. I never really knew what my Co-pastor meant when she said this. She said it fervently and with so much conviction that I felt like she was directly talking to me and saw my messy room at home. This statement is also referenced in 2 Kings 20:1( please read it in it's correct context). What I think my Co-pastor meant was that we as Christians need to keep our whole beings in order and aligned with God.
Browsing through Instagram one day (check me out @cre8tedinChrist) I saw a woman saying that through cleaning her home she shows her appreciation to God and is grateful for the blessing of having a home. She also mentioned that she keeps her home clean to give glory to God. That really dawned on me! Now that it's Springtime many people begin 'Spring Cleaning'. I think of how nice lawns look with fresh new flowers, and neat landscaping. Like many of us our outer appearance is immaculate, while the inside of our homes maybe cluttered, dusty, drafty, and unkept. We don't want guests over when our home is messy and allow them to see how we live. Instead, we would rather them enjoy what they see on the outside from a distance.
The truth is, God sees our innermost being. He knows what our living quarters look like. He knows the last time we cleaned and if we brought something inside of our homes that did not belong. The home metaphorically is the body, or the temple if you will. Paul states this in 1 Corinthians 3:16, "Do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple, and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" The Holy Spirit is a permanent resident within our temples. When we do not keep our temples clean/pure we grieve the Spirit. My Co-Pastor was big about saying, "cleanliness is next to Godliness". In that sense with our bodies, and our minds are we filling them with things that are pure and righteous?
When I distract myself with too much social media, or waste time being unproductive, or indulge in unfruitful activities; I notice my spiritual growth/habits begin to wane. Most of us make sure to take care of the front lawn, while ignoring to sweep the kitchen, and mop the floors. Is your home complete if you have a clean kitchen, but didn't take out the trash? Is everything in order if your living room looks nice, but you have dishes in the sink? If one area of our spiritual home (temple) is out of order, other extremities won't function at their peak. As a teenager, I really didn't like to wash dishes. I would delay the process and try to get out of it anyway that I could. Looking back, now if I cleaned the dishes; then my mom would have clean pots and pans. Clean pots and pans meant that my mother would be prepared to cook after work. Once my mom cooked and prepared a meal; everyone could eat, and be fed before bed.
In essence, If everything is in order within our homes, then everything can work and function properly to fulfill it's designed purpose. (I could extend this and talk about how the church is the Body of Christ and we all have a ministry/mission to perform for the kingdom, but for now I won't digress, and will stick to one point. {1 Corinthians 12:12} )
In my real life, I will be honest-- with a 2 year old daughter my home can get in a bit of disarray at times. Once things get out of order I being to lose things, I misplace things, and I ignore my chores. To compare that to my temple: in a spiritual sense when I don't read my Word, or when I don't meditate and talk to God, there is a direct correlation-- I enter into a state of disarray.
Being in step with the Holy Spirit is imperative to walking aligned with God's plan for our lives. So, if you want to allow the Holy Spirt to thrive within your home-- clear out the unwanted clutter.
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