From Dust to Temples

Are you feeling dusty?

In the American Dust Bowl, storms blew dust from Texas to New York. Children wore masks to school. Visibility was absent with the 1500 mile cloud of fog. A nightmare of apocalypse proportions. All because of dust.

And that’s what we’re made of. Dust. Transient. Blown around. Fickle.

Reading through the OT, whose heart doesn’t groan with every, “But this King did evil in the sight of the LORD?” and “the people forgot the God who rescued them from Egypt” and “they did not worship the Lord their God.” We cry out, “How could you forget?”

But then something changed in history.

What changed a heart like Peter’s who denied Christ – DUST – to a heart that passionately preached the gospel to his death? What transformed a gang of squabbling men – DUST – to a force for faith? What inspired a movement that has spread across the world like a bright beam of light cutting through the mist?

The difference between us and humankind of the past is the power of the Holy Spirit who God has graciously placed inside of us.

We’ve been made new! We are no longer dust, blown and tossed around. We are being made into a temple of God! He has transformed our frail, dusty form into solid, rock-hard bricks that can withstand the faithless arrows that are aimed at our hearts.

Without Him, we’d just fly away. Blown and scattered with the slightest breeze.

With Him, we are grounded in His faith and His freedom. We are the house built on the rock that won’t fall when the rains come.

The rains are falling.

In torrents. Waves of cancer and crisis and careless people. Depression lays across our world like a heavy, wet blanket that suffocates and drowns.

But we will not be blown away. We may sway, we may creak, and we may close our eyes and weep for all the suffering in this dark world. But then He’ll strengthen us and keep us standing strong until He returns and makes all things new.

So lean into Him. Thank Him for the faith He’s given to withstand the evil attacks. Ask Him to fill the holes and patch the cracks and wash the walls of our hearts so we can stand true for Him.

Today, be the light to the world.

A shining city on a hill that cannot be hidden, shaken, or destroyed. Not because of anything we’ve done. No, not at all. But because we know we’re dust that’s being made into a temple by the power of the Holy Spirit of our Great God, all thanks to the gracious work of Jesus!

All thanks to God!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

“For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’” II Corinthians 6:16

“For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:14

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” I Peter 2:5