I remember the seasons in my life when I was wandering from place to place begging people for a place to stay because life kept tossing me to and fro, and I remember the time when I became homeless. At that time nothing in life made sense because I couldn’t find a meaning to what I was going through. I can sympathize with those who don’t have a safe place to live or those who may be homeless in a home. Seeing God’s hands in my sufferings was hard for me. I would have never thought that God was working through those times for my benefit, even for any amount of money. At that time, it felt like I was being crushed, left for dead, or abandoned without me getting into the details. However, God was always present. I couldn’t see His hands, but it all makes sense now. I have realized that while I was focusing on the pain, God was focusing on teaching me how to build a sanctuary for Him wherever I was. And wherever the sanctuary was built, it pushed back the forces of darkness. Therefore, persistent prayer kept causing me to wear out my welcome in certain environments. Thus, each time this happened, I had to move from the location even if I couldn’t understand what was happening and didn’t even know where I was going.
So then, what is a sanctuary?
A sanctuary is a sacred place, a place of refuge or safety. Therefore, a sanctuary is a place of rest where you do not worry about being harmed. In Exodus 25: 8, the Lord told Moses to tell the Israelites “Have them make a sanctuary for Me and I will dwell among them.” We know that wherever God’s presence is, His Glory dwells, and wherever His Glory dwells things cannot remain the same, they must shift. It may not be a sudden shift, but it will eventually happen. The psalmist David said in Psalm 26:80, “Lord I love the house where You live, the place where Your Glory dwells.” David was a man of prayer; a man after God’s heart so he was very familiar with God’s Glory.
Who used to build a sanctuary? And what is an effective way to become a sanctuary for the Lord?
In 1 Chronicles 22: 17 -19, David talked to the leaders of Israel about building the Temple and commanded them to help his son Solomon build it. And David told the leaders “Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring back the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the secret articles belonging to God and to the Temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.” (v.19). And all these things foreshadowed the new covenant. So, if the leaders were qualified to build a sanctuary for God back then, God has made it possible for everyone to have the same privilege through Jesus Christ by His Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, the Bible tells us that we are the temple of God. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” This by no means implies that there is no need for a church. I even dare to say that a church is a bunch of churches that gather in a specific location to celebrate God and encourage each other because we are the church. It is important to have both personal and community worship.
So, what does that mean for us today?
This means that wherever we are, God’s presence is with us. Once we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells within us. We become Glory carriers; therefore, we can build a sanctuary or sacred place in our homes, at our jobs, the grocery store, the gym, the school, the hairdresser, barber shops, restaurants, etc. The sanctuary primarily begins in our hearts so we cannot just let anything reside in that sacred place. Your heart only has room for two and that is for you and the Lord.
Wherever we go or wherever we find ourselves, we ought to build a sanctuary for the Lord by constantly communicating with Him. When we invite Him into that safe space daily, we make it sacred by avoiding negativity, dwelling on God’s word, and worshiping Him.
When I used to move from place to place and in my sufferings, I did not even realize that each moment drew me closer to God in prayer. My back was against the wall, and I was pressed on every side, which was good because these moments helped me realize my limitations and who to call for help. Hence, a sanctuary was built wherever I was. And each time I had to leave, I realized that Glory was always present, so I didn’t have to worry about a thing because God is always with me. His presence never leaves us nor forsakes us, and He inhabits the praises of His people.
God Bless You!
SCRIPTURES
“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek, that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His Temple.” Psalm 27:4
“Yet, You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the One Israel praises.” Psalm 22:3
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