Worship

A Sanctified Body

Psalms 95:6-7
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care. (NIV)

A Sanctified Body

worship with hands raised

Body and Spirit must move together

There is a philosophical thought in our age that separates the body from the spirit and soul. Clearly, this philosophy pervades our culture as many live two different lives as if their spirit has little to do with the human frame. But Scripture reminds us of the need to be sanctified not only in the spirit but also in the body. The Bible also tells us our body is the Temple of the Spirit. This Old Testament reference to the temple can teach us a great deal about how our physical body is connected to our spiritual worship and why bowing and kneeling are good.

The Spirit of God rested between the golden cherubim crafted as part of the cover to the Ark of the Covenant. This was placed in the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum of the Temple. Though the Spirit of God is omnipresent, the intimacy God desires between His people and Himself required a place and position. The location of the Holy of Holiness, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Spirit’s manifestation there teach us a great deal about God’s position in our life.

Keeping God at the Center

Our relationship with God and His presence in our life should be at the center of everything. This is why it is said the Lord enters our hearts. The Bible says all of life’s issues flow out of the heart so to have God in our heart is to have Him front and center in every area of our life.

The preparation, care, maintenance, and reverence given to the Temple itself forced the people of Israel to keep God at the center of their life. In the same way, we must operate our bodies in a way to keep God at the center of our life.

In the Old Testament, so long as everything prescribed by God to occur in the Temple continued exactly as God said, the nation prospered in His protection. When temple activity deviated from God’s instruction, the nation fell into disrepair and often into the hands of oppressive enemies.

When we don’t honor God with our bodies, our spiritual connection to Him is hindered. This is not simply staying healthy, but using our body to serve and worship Him. The sanctification of the body will create motion in our spirit toward God. A body disengaged from worship and service to the Lord will drive us away from Him.