Northern Plains Anglican

The death of the Queen? Everybody’s covered that. 9/11? I’m working on some thoughts so maybe next time. Sooooo…

Working at a Catholic hospital, there are some overtly Christian opportunities. Writing devotional pieces for employee email lists is one. This past weekend, one of mine showed up, so I share it with you here. Hope it provides some useful thoughts as you seek to serve Christ in your daily life.

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How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God! My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.  (Psalm 84:1-3 NAB)

Does God keep office hours on earth? Psalm 84 celebrated a particular place to meet with God, the great temple in Jerusalem to which the Jewish people made pilgrimage. 

Many Avera facilities provide chapels or prayer rooms. These are dedicated spaces for patients, staff and visitors to seek God’s help when “heart and flesh cry out” from the midst of illness, work or any of the thousands of life circumstances touched by Avera.

But it is important to know that by the great love of God, “temples” are everywhere.  “God’s office” can be wherever we are as individuals or together:

·         Each of our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)

·         All of us working together become a temple.  The Bible speaks of us as “living stones” with which God builds (1 Peter 2:5).

It takes some work to renovate ourselves into “office space” where others can meet God. The Apostle Paul tells us to get ourselves into good spiritual and moral condition (I Corinthians 9:24-27).  Jesus says that to build holy relationships we need to get some “debris” out of our eyes and see others with compassion.

The Good News is that even while our “temples” are messy construction sites, God stays close to guide and bless our work.