God In A Box

24“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25“Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27“so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us."
Acts 17: 24 - 27 NKJV

I saw a post just the other day which talked about the acedemics of following God.  How somehow we as christians needed to put our thinking caps on in order to fully understand and comprehend what our heavenly Father has done for us.  My first thought upon reading this was of the apostle Pauls speech in the Areopagus in Athens.  See, the Greeks and Romans were famous for constructing lavish temples and buildings in honor of whatever god they chose to bow down to.  The building, therefore, became synonimous and associated with whatever entity they were worshipping.  Sadly, far too many christians today have taken this approach as well.  I can speak from experience of the modern churches insatiable desire for bigger and more ornate buildings.  Some years ago, the church which I was attending made the bold announcement that they would be purchasing a large swath of nearby property in order to build a new church and retail marketplace to serve the local community.  Of course, there was the initial excitement of building such a lavish establishment.  However, it wasn't long before the church hierarchy begin wringing their collective hands over just how to finance such a project.  Indeed, there were more than a few special Sunday tithe offerings where the congregation was "encouraged" to give above their normal amount in order to help the financing of this new christian marketplace.  What a great place to connect with God!  To this day, that project is still on hold.  My point here is, why is it that we continue spend our time and energy dreaming and building bigger palaces to worship our heavenly Father?  It's as if we've resurected the thoughts of the ancient temple builders, that who we worship is tied to the buildings which we construct.  This is placing God in a box of our choosing, and it's wrong.

44Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 44 - 47 NKJV

I've always loved the example of the early church of Jesus which we find in Acts 2.  This was really not a church at all, but a community of believers.  It is from this example which the church of today so often talks of community within its own walls.  A community where their own congregation can gather and commune with the Lord.  Again, this is not community at all but a modified church service.  What we fail realize in the example of Acts 2 is that this community of believers WERE the community of their day.  It would be as if the city of New York would routinely gather together, worship and share among themselves with whoever had need.  The most organized church ministries and outreach of today could never match the community of the early church.  Instead of wasting our time and efforts building bigger and better "houses" to worship God, we do well to know in our hearts where it is that God truly lives.  For through the gift of Christ Jesus, we ourselves are that temple within which our heavenly Father dwells.

19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body gand in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6: 19 - 20 NKJV

~Scott~