In the Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke & John] the Tempe is often referred to as the "Holy Place", the place where the spiritual inhabits the physical. Even Jesus called the Temple "My Father's house", yet He also refers to himself as "the Temple".
The real-estate of God incarnate.
The spiritual made tangible.
This leads me to believe that refuge is not necessarily something that happens in our [church] buildings. Instead, refuge takes place when the heart of man and the mystery of the spiritual collide, allowing, for just a moment, that heaven be visible on earth. It is also interesting that Paul refers to our bodies as a "temple of the Holy Spirit", and in a moment of vulnerable conversation between Jesus and his friend Philip, Jesus tells him, "“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." What Philip didn't know is that Jesus going to be with the Father meant that Holy Spirit was going to take over as the mouth-piece of heaven on earth, and the power for which we are able to do such great things...
Implications-
As men and women who have been granted access into the mystery of the spiritually eternal and are filled with Holy Spirit we must remember and declare that we are equipped, gifted, filled, called & empowered to provide refuge to a hurting, self-depreciating humanity that is constantly searching for truth, love, and hope that grace is real. We are the temporary refuge for the people in our life, and we are responsible to gracefully walk them into an introduction with the eternal refuge, Jesus Christ.
The real-estate of God incarnate.
The spiritual made tangible.
This leads me to believe that refuge is not necessarily something that happens in our [church] buildings. Instead, refuge takes place when the heart of man and the mystery of the spiritual collide, allowing, for just a moment, that heaven be visible on earth. It is also interesting that Paul refers to our bodies as a "temple of the Holy Spirit", and in a moment of vulnerable conversation between Jesus and his friend Philip, Jesus tells him, "“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." What Philip didn't know is that Jesus going to be with the Father meant that Holy Spirit was going to take over as the mouth-piece of heaven on earth, and the power for which we are able to do such great things...
Implications-
As men and women who have been granted access into the mystery of the spiritually eternal and are filled with Holy Spirit we must remember and declare that we are equipped, gifted, filled, called & empowered to provide refuge to a hurting, self-depreciating humanity that is constantly searching for truth, love, and hope that grace is real. We are the temporary refuge for the people in our life, and we are responsible to gracefully walk them into an introduction with the eternal refuge, Jesus Christ.
"When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” - Matthew 9:36-38
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