There are plenty of theological concepts that are particularly hard to digest…but for me, one of the hardest is knowing that as believers, the glory of Christ dwells in us.
It’s hard to make sense of that, especially when we fail and mess up so often.
I was thinking about this concept as we talked about grace, and I realized that the worship song we sang at the end “As You Find Me” (Hillsong), was actually the perfect picture lyrically of what this looks like….imperfect sinners who somehow embody grace.
“I’ve been strong
And I’ve been broken within a moment.
I’ve been faithful
And I’ve been reckless at every bend.
I’ve held everything together
And watched it shatter.
I’ve stood tall and I have crumbled
In the same breath.
I was found
Before I was lost.
I was yours
Before I was not.
Grace to spare
For all my mistakes
And that part just wrecks me…”
These words have been echoing in my mind all week. It’s hard to grapple with the idea that we have our sin nature (the flesh) and all the struggles that come with that, but we also house the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that our bodies are a “temple of the Holy Spirit.” And I always thought that this was a good verse to quote in eating better or exercising or even caring for our mental health…but it goes much deeper than that.
We are walking temples of God’s Spirit…and that carries a different type of weight to it. This is not just limited to mere physical implications, but spiritual ones as well.
So at times, we will fail and inevitably mess up, but then there are other times where the glory of Christ shines so brightly in and through us. We are presently living in the “in-between” until Jesus comes back, and even here…God chose in His grace to dwell within us.
This week we have some family coming to stay at our home for a few days. I am constantly thinking of ways to make them feel comfortable and to “dwell” with us in peace and comfort. We have made sure to have fresh warm towels, all their favorite snacks in the fridge, and hot coffee ready in the mornings. We have been clearing out any areas of clutter so they can feel free to place their phones, keys, wallets all around.
I wonder what it would look like for us to “clear out the clutter” and make room for the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. What would we need to get rid so the glory of God could clearly shine through? Sometimes that means getting rid of things like anger, bitterness or people-pleasing…other times we must get rid of distractions and time wasted on meaningless things.
The more we make room for Jesus…the more He will come make His home in us. And I want that to be an inviting, warm, and welcoming home…don’t you? Don’t we want to create a space where the Holy Spirit can truly dwell, and where glory is shown on regular basis?
I know it doesn’t sound easy, but the good news is that it’s not really up to us to “try harder”…it all depends on His beautiful and relentless grace. The same grace that saved you and brought you to Him is the same grace that will carry you as the Holy Spirit dwells in your body, soul and mind. Let’s be image-bearers who display His glory powerfully this week, because He is our true home.
It’s hard to make sense of that, especially when we fail and mess up so often.
I was thinking about this concept as we talked about grace, and I realized that the worship song we sang at the end “As You Find Me” (Hillsong), was actually the perfect picture lyrically of what this looks like….imperfect sinners who somehow embody grace.
“I’ve been strong
And I’ve been broken within a moment.
I’ve been faithful
And I’ve been reckless at every bend.
I’ve held everything together
And watched it shatter.
I’ve stood tall and I have crumbled
In the same breath.
I was found
Before I was lost.
I was yours
Before I was not.
Grace to spare
For all my mistakes
And that part just wrecks me…”
These words have been echoing in my mind all week. It’s hard to grapple with the idea that we have our sin nature (the flesh) and all the struggles that come with that, but we also house the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that our bodies are a “temple of the Holy Spirit.” And I always thought that this was a good verse to quote in eating better or exercising or even caring for our mental health…but it goes much deeper than that.
We are walking temples of God’s Spirit…and that carries a different type of weight to it. This is not just limited to mere physical implications, but spiritual ones as well.
So at times, we will fail and inevitably mess up, but then there are other times where the glory of Christ shines so brightly in and through us. We are presently living in the “in-between” until Jesus comes back, and even here…God chose in His grace to dwell within us.
This week we have some family coming to stay at our home for a few days. I am constantly thinking of ways to make them feel comfortable and to “dwell” with us in peace and comfort. We have made sure to have fresh warm towels, all their favorite snacks in the fridge, and hot coffee ready in the mornings. We have been clearing out any areas of clutter so they can feel free to place their phones, keys, wallets all around.
I wonder what it would look like for us to “clear out the clutter” and make room for the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. What would we need to get rid so the glory of God could clearly shine through? Sometimes that means getting rid of things like anger, bitterness or people-pleasing…other times we must get rid of distractions and time wasted on meaningless things.
The more we make room for Jesus…the more He will come make His home in us. And I want that to be an inviting, warm, and welcoming home…don’t you? Don’t we want to create a space where the Holy Spirit can truly dwell, and where glory is shown on regular basis?
I know it doesn’t sound easy, but the good news is that it’s not really up to us to “try harder”…it all depends on His beautiful and relentless grace. The same grace that saved you and brought you to Him is the same grace that will carry you as the Holy Spirit dwells in your body, soul and mind. Let’s be image-bearers who display His glory powerfully this week, because He is our true home.
Erika Pizzo
Erika is an author of various books on the topics of faith, mental health, and victory in Christ. Erika lives with her husband, daughter, son, and their fluffy poodle in sunny Southern California. Her two favorite things are a visit to the beach and a chai latte in hand.