1 Kings 6:11-13 ESV
11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, 12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people, Israel.”

GOD’S PRESENCE IN THE TEMPLE.
After seven years of construction, the temple of Solomon was finished. In terms of beauty and cost, it was matchless. It was built with the choicest materials; hewn stones and cedar and cypress timbers overlaid with gold and silver. Its cost today may be estimated to 3 to 6 billion U.S. dollars.

However, the true value of the temple is the presence of God, isn’t it? Similarly, heaven becomes meaningful because God is there. And the way to ensure God’s abiding presence is their obedience. God said, “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.” Failure to heed and walk according to God’s statutes, commandments and rules will cause God to forsake them.

Today, having a beautiful church building where God’s people can gather for worship and fellowship is a good idea. It becomes wrong only when the people content themselves more with it and the activities in it more than God’s presence. Functions should be taken into consideration more than forms.

As a church, in fact, Paul argued that it’s only the indwelling of God through the Spirit that makes it holy. He said, “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.”[1 Cor 3:16,17]

Let’s not forget that loving God being demonstrated by keeping His words matters most. Jesus said, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” [ John 14:21,23]

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