A SOLEMN THOUGHT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22742, 30 November 1935, Page 27

A SOLEMN THOUGHT

Written for the Otago Daily Times By the Rev. D. Gardner Miller.

The Apostle Paul says some things that stick. Borne of his sayings are like the blasts of a bugle, arousing us to action. Others, again, are like' the opening of secret doors inviting us into the wonderlands of the spirit. The world of man has never been able to smother the sayings of this Ambassador of Christ who lived so long ago. For myself there is a saying of Paul’s that never fails to pull me UP short. It is that one in the sixteenth verse of the sixth chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians, where he says that each one of us is a temple of the living God. I can never read it without pausing. It is so solemn that I always feel abashed and wonder what God must think of me. It is not only a solemn thought; it is almost a terrifying thought that God — the Living God, mark you, not a mere memory of God —actually makes you and me His dwelling place on earth. If that amazing and scarifying truth were allowed to sink deep, it would not be so frequently guilty of desecration. Sometimes I think the word “ temple ” takes away from us the real meaning of Pauls saying. To most of us a temple is a huge building, hallowed by age and custom, and we cannot quite see the connection between such a building and our own wayward hearts. But if you read “ Sanctuary " instead of “ temple,” which is really what Paul said, the remoteness and bigness disappears and you get the inner meaning of quietness and holiness. So, then, Paul reminds us that each of us is a quiet sanctuary to which God comes. And that just means' that the innermost plage ip our life is given up to God. No matter how lowly our life may be % God can make a sanctuary of it if we will let Him.

There is another aspect of this sublime truth that niakes me reflect. It is that a temple always stands for separation. You may say that a temple, a sanctuary, is a place for worship. True, but before any place can be used for worship it must be a protest against the opposite of worship. Every temple, every church, every open-air meeting, every place under the sun where the name of God is proclaimed is a living sign of separation from all that is mean, worldly, and sinful. In short, a temple simply says “No” to the world. Now, when I apply this to myself I begin to realise how half-hearted rny “No”is to many things. God can dwell in us with freedom and happiness to Himself only if our separation from all enslaving things is definite. I am not advocating that we should withdraw from the world. That would be weak. We are in the world, and, remember, it is God’s world, but we must learn to say “ No ” to everything in God’s world that denies Him. That is what a Christian is, a living “No” to the mean and beggarly elements of the world,' a living “ protest ” against mammon and a living example of what the grace of God can do for a man. I am afraid this lack of definiteness is characteristic of most of us. We are half-and-half. It would puzzle the angels to know just where some of us stand on this matter of separation. I don’t mean that we should be obstinate and obstreperous and be so “ edgey ” that we antagonise others. A “ sticky ” Christian never advances the cause of true religion. We can be definite and gentle; upright and serene; clear but jnot harsh.' Our “No ” should be definite enough to let others know just where we stand and yet there should be something about it that should make people wonder where our strength and understanding come from. Yes, as a “ temple,” we should stand for a separation and a welcome.

It Is always wise and helpful to pursue an idea right to its heart-meaning. And you have not very far to travel regarding this idea of being a “ temple ” (sanctuary) for the living God before two great truths emerge. The first is surely eo obvious that to miss it is to lose one’s way utterly. It is that in the temple there should be daily devotions. All ray life I have been urging and pleading with people to pray and read the Bible every day without fail. Almost every case of backsliding that I know of has arisen from neglect of this lovely habit. The living God, Who is our Heavenly Father, is hurt when His dwelling place (your heart and mine) is left cold and desolate through neglect. Let the door of your heart ever be open. Let the inner chamber of your life be a place where you speak with God and where He speaks with you. You will never be able to stand by your “ No ” to the world, if you let the world creep into your sanctuary. I am positive that power to witness is utterly dependent upon prayer in the sanctuary. Keep the House of God within you beautiful. Let God see there the treasures of your heart, your prayers, youx hopes, your love of His Word? your mystic union, with Christ. Carefully guard the entrance that no gtranger gets in. And the second truth is this: As temples, we should be the natural place for ithe weak and the weary and the erring to come for help and blessing. That, surely, is a natural outcome of daily devotions. yl cannot imagine anyone really loving God and being cruel to any human being—or to an animal. You remember that it was said of Jesus that after He had cleansed the temple in Jerusalem of all those who had made it a place of worldly traffic, the poor and the halt and the lame and the blind came to Him there and He healed them. So should it be with ue. When we have said “No” to air those things that have beguiled us and have set up the daily altar of devotion, then our lives will become the place where the poor and the outraged and the helpless will come in for shelter and comfort and blessing. There is something wrong if there is no open place in our life for a needy soul to creep into. It is a solemn thought that we are sanctuaries of the living God. It is also a glorious privilege.