LIVING IN GOD'S PRESENCE

Leviticus 26:11-12; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

God has always desired intimacy with man. In fact, from the very beginning, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were given the unique privilege of walking and talking to Him personally, and Him paying attention to their every need. However, this intimacy disintegrated when they have decided to disobey and sin against the Lord. Literally, a barrier was built between God and the human race.

Instead of completely walking away from man, God reaffirmed His desire for intimacy by providing a way for communion. During the Old Testament, He allowed Israel to build a Tabernacle. This is the context of Leviticus 26:11-12. Later, during the time of King Solomon, the Tabernacle was replaced by a beautiful temple. Imagine! Rather than dwelling in a heaven of unapproachable glory, The Almighty God, decided to live in the world, in the midst of His own people. What a grand blessing!

Today, it is even better. I Corinthians 6:19-20, teaches the truth that the dwelling place of God happens individually as He resides within those who are in Christ - "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit." This is God's ultimate effort for intimacy.

Unfortunately, just like the Corinthians, many Christians have the tendency to forget this very significant doctrine. Notice how the Apostle Paul puts it in the text, "Do you not know . . .?" This expression is used by Paul eight times in this first letter to the Corinthians. Again and again he had to say to them, "Haven't you been informed?" Obviously, they were familiar of this truth, but the way they were living seems to display their ignorance.

How many of us are like the Corinthian believers? God is so close, and yet so far. He lives right within us, and yet we don't feel His presence. Clearly, PROXIMITY DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN INTIMACY.

I believe we rob ourselves with so many blessings, if we continue to take His presence for granted. Intimacy will be the result of consistently acknowledging His presence within us. The question is how can we do this? Examining 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, allow me to give you three possible ways to live in His presence:

I     SANCTIFY HIS TEMPLE: (v.19)

For the readers of Paul's letter, they understood the word Temple as a building specifically set apart for the purpose of worshipping the true God. The word Sanctify simply means to be set apart, or to be pure and holy.

As I have already emphasized, today our body is the temple of God. It is sacred. And we have the responsibility to keep it pure and holy. If you read the earlier verses starting from verse 15, you will have a better understanding of what we are talking about:

These words concerning sexual immorality and prostitutes were especially important for the Corinthian church because the temple of Aphrodite, the love goddess was in Corinth. This temple employed more than a thousand prostitutes as priestesses, and sex was part of the worship ritual. Paul clearly stated that the Corinthian Christians were to have no part in sexual immorality. They have to honor God's presence by keeping themselves pure and holy.

What do you think does the Holy Spirit feel every time a believer carelessly desecrates His temple? Here is Paul's answer:

The word is Grieve, which suggests a deep emotional pain or sadness. This is what the parents would feel when their children act contrary to their counsel, or what a husband or a wife would feel when their spouse chooses to have an extra-marital relationship. Just like in our human relationships, this pain always results in a barrier that affects intimacy.

You know, so many times we have been deceived by Satan with regards to sin because he has managed to highlight its pleasures. And hide its consequences. Charles Huddon Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, once made a parable. He said,

"There was once a tyrant who summoned one of his subjects into his presence, and ordered him to make a chain. The poor blacksmith -- that was his occupation -- had to go to work and forge the chain. When it was done, he brought it into the presence of the tyrant, and was ordered to take it away and make it twice the length. He brought it again to the tyrant, and again he was ordered to double it. Back he came when he had obeyed the order, and the tyrant looked at it, and then commanded the servants to bind the man hand and foot with the chain he had made and cast him into prison.

"That is what the devil does with men," Mr. Spurgeon said. "He makes them forge their own chain, and then binds them hand and foot with it, and casts them into outer darkness."

God is a far better master than the devil. If we want to live being sensitive of His presence, we need to be careful with sin and keep our selves pure and holy.

II    SET YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIM: (v. 19)

I believe another important way we can live in His presence is to constantly set our thoughts on Him. Our main text in a way suggests that we need to always bear in mind that God is indwelling in us.

You see, for our physical life, our brain is the key to our existence. It weighs only three pounds but it determines what the rest of our body does. But not only does it control our body, it also controls our will and our spiritual life.

Indeed, how we think and what we love to think about will determine the course of our lives. No wonder the Word of God encourages all believers with these words:

We, as believers must develop the habit of fixing our attention on "Things above." This is just another way of saying, Christ or God. Now, how do you do this? The best way to understand this is to know exactly the values and virtues of Christ and making sure that we apply them consistently in our lives. For example, when you are relating to the people at your workplace, do you constantly relate to them according to the virtues of Christ - loving, peaceable, gentle, humble, etc. Or when you make plans for your lives, do you consciously consider what is important to God or just those which are important to you. If we are to live intimately with God, we have to acknowledge His presence by allowing him to influence our way of thinking which eventually shapes our character: Someone wrote:

Sow a thought, reap and act
Sow an act, reap a habit,
Sow a habit, reap a character.

III   SEEK HIS GLORY (v. 20)

Lastly, if we are to live in His presence, we must seek to always honor Him. Going back at our text, verse 20 begins by establishing the fact that all Christians belong to God - "You were bought at a price." This ownership is not only on account of creation, but also of conversion. The apostle Peter affirms the same truth.

Our redemption cost God the life of His own Son. And so he has all the right not only to be a resident of our lives, but the president of our lives. Therefore, as our text suggests a conclusive statement, we must honor or glorify God (King James Version uses the word Glorify).

What does it mean to glorify God? The word Glory speaks of splendor, brightness, or majesty. Thus, to glorify God means to do the things that will display His splendor, brightness, or majesty. Jesus has another way of saying it:

We are the light of the world, the reflection of God's glory into the world! So we need to shine. If we are conscious of His presence, we will shine wherever we are - at home, at work, or in church. We will shine in our friendships, and in our families. We must always seek to glorify Him, and not others.

Are you living in His presence? God who desires intimacy is as close as He could ever be because He is dwelling within us. We should not take Him for granted. Let's live our lives believing He is always there.