Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Paul writes with encouragement and warning to the church in Corinth. They were experiencing divisions in their relationships with each other which in turn hindered their relationship with God. He reminds them that they are “the temple of God” and as such, we must treat each other just as we would our Lord.
How would our lives be different if we recognized the presence of our Creator in everyone we encountered? Paul teaches that “the Spirit of God lives in you”. We know this because He breathed life into each one of us. We are all made in His image, meant to be connected to Him and our brothers and sisters here on earth.
We have been created for a purpose and when we accept the mission and responsibility God gives us, we are blessed to go in His name to share the Good News. Each of us have been given gifts that are necessary to advance His kingdom. While God needs no help from us, He wants us all to be part of His plan for salvation.
Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we let our own selfish wants and insecurities interfere with our connection to You and each other. Forgive us and send us in Your strength that everyone may know Your love. Amen.
