Thursday, December 17, 2015

“The Geography of Godliness"


    Place is important in our lives, even as the Psalmist declared, "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King" (Psalm 48:2).  In Christ, however, where bows to Who in terms of reality and importance.

    "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and Ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him" (John 4:20-23).

   Spiritual "place" transcends earthly sites and scenes.  The venue of our hearts God's primary intentions regarding our present lives.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ may worship anywhere and everywhere, so long as we worship "in spirit and in truth".  Indeed, presently a persecuted and seemingly forgotten brother or sister may kneel in a squalid cell, raising heart and voice to the One who remembers His child, and who meets him in this most holy of venues.  Can we possibly imagine a more glorious and "beautiful for situation" place?   Love and faith rather than geography, scene, and decor beautifies the heart filled with the love of God and love for God.  Again, Who transcends where.

    For the Christian, our Lord is Himself our spiritual dwellingplace.  "Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Corinthians 1:30).  He is our place, as it were, in most elemental aspect of our life and being - "In Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).  We might refer to this as "the geography of godliness."  Moreover, the physical places in our lives that we find special all reflect the holy spiritual venue of the Christ in whom we dwell.  We may enjoy where.  However, Who must be acknowledged as home, and as the true abode of our hearts…

"Lord, Thou hast been our dwellingplace in all generations."
(Psalm 90:1)


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