“Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:1-11 NKJV,https://bible.com/bible/114/php.1.1-11.NKJV
The Church is God’s Sacred Space
Back when the Old Testament stories were still being lived out, God designated sacred spaces for His people to meet with Him.
First, God planted a garden in Eden—a beautiful space in paradise for His prized creations. Next, the tabernacle was a portable space in the wilderness for the Israelites who’d been rescued from Egyptian slavery. Then, the temple was a permanent space in Jerusalem for the people of Israel.
In all instances, these were specially chosen places of worship, as well as tangible signs of God’s presence.
The Creator of everything that exists can’t be confined to a garden, a tent, or a building, but it was in those sacred spaces where heaven and earth could overlap.
Fun fact: Garden imagery is all over the decorative details of both the tabernacle and the temple: palm trees and pomegranates, water lilies and almond blossoms, lions and oxen, vibrant colors and precious metals. Such designs are meant to point back to the beginning—before ...