Quiet Times in the Temple

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

     While reading this verse, my mind drifted back to my College days. At Zion, each student had daily duties to do – jobs that normally would have been contracted services by non-college employees at other schools like managing the dining hall and kitchen; and cleaning the various public buildings on campus. Our campus sparkled because of the hands of many workers and it saved the school thousands of dollars each year. In turn, the students learned to be responsible and felt a deeper connection to the campus and its vision.

      Beginning in my 2nd year, I was assigned to clean the Library once or twice and then exclusively to the Temple in my senior year. The sanctuary was my favorite assignment. Doctor Hero, the School president took a fancy to me – he laughed when he called me the Joan Biaz of Zion because of my guitar strumming and singing. I believe he was instrumental in my assignment to clean the Temple sanctuary.

      I loved that duty. Being in the house of the Lord when it was peaceful and quiet stirred my soul and the Lord often talked to me there as I worked. To this day, I love to sit in a quiet sanctuary and just breathe in the peace of the Spirit that dwells there. In the Lord’s presence I find comfort, peace and strength to do what I know is needful for my inner being and for my physical body. I know I am not quiet often enough!

      Lord, since my body is your temple – help me to care for it like I did with Zion’s temple. With so much turmoil going on outside of my control, I sometimes find myself helplessly drowning in fear, anxiety and depression. Help me to sit quietly with you and just breathe in your presence. Help me to quiet my soul so I can hear your voice in that place inside me where you choose to dwell. Help me to mop and shine your heart house inside me – and help me to curb the cravings for things other than you, all those influences that affect my physical health and spiritual well being. Amen!