Temple Building

First off, let me say how awesome amazon.com's "Search Inside" feature is. I was looking for a quote from Doug Fields' book Purpose Driven Youth Ministry and I couldn't find it again so I searched in it there and it was there and I am thrilled.

Second, let me say: as cool as that is, God is way cooler. I have a second interview with Huntersville Presbyterian Church! Which is the main reason that I'm reading PDYM. One of their items in the list of skills/knowledge they want their youth director to have is the PDYM so I figured I have a day or two before the second interview to ingest a 400 page book. Just like college again :) Anyways, it's a great book (all of 57 pages into it, skipped the first 15, thank you very much ADD) and I'm enjoying it and the thing that caught my eye (see first paragraph) blends beautifully to what I read for today's dLog entry!

I read: 2 Kings 4-6

Basically, chapter 4 is kind "Cribs" with Solomon: how much food they eat per day, all the stuff he has, etc. All cool and impressive but what I really liked was the description of the temple. God told David that his son would suit on the throne and build a house for God and Solomon realizes this (wisdom and all) and decides he's going to make good on that promise.

Here's the verses that I really liked:

The word of God came to Solomon saying, "About this Temple you are building--what's important is that you live the way I've set out for you and do what I tell you, following my instructions carefully and obediently. Then I'll complete in you the promise I made to David your father. I'll personally take up residence among the Israelites--I won't desert my people Israel! (1 Kings 6:11-13)

Good stuff! I guess I'm not sure where the verses are exactly about our bodies being temples for the Holy Spirit, but this speaks directly to that idea. We are to build temples of ourselves! But I think there are other worthy temples that need our construction. For us three youth guys, our ministries are temples of a sort that we are building. And as God and Doug points out in this passage and PDYM. More specifically, Doug says we are to be God's people, not doers of what we think God wants. When we take care of ourselves and nurturing our spiritual lives, everything else will fall into place. That's a very cool idea as it makes running a youth ministry a lot less daunting. It's not about programs and flashiness, it's about building ourselves up to be great examples and everything will flow from that.

One thing that Doug challenges youth folk to do is this: "Ask God for the power to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4:7 NASB)" (page 40). Here's the verse: "But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness."

I see a clear line connecting these two ideas. And, I decided rather abruptly, it's what I want to be about. I'm getting the feeling like I'm going to be back in YM very soon and I want to be doing these things as best I can. I'm excited about it, I'm psyched! But more than all, I feel like I'm just taking that first step into a much larger world by beginning to pray that prayer. This dLog has been a great insight into what discipled reading and meditation (and good use of writing gifts) can do to teach me, I want more! I'm starting to get that feeling I'm where God wants me to be, but not for long, because he has bigger and better things planned. That's a good feeling :)