May 2014

Exact details are given as to the dimensions of the tabernacle and its fittings. Much later, as we know, a magnificent temple built by King Solomon became the centre of Jewish worship until its destruction in 586 BC. At the time of Jesus\' ministry the much grander temple started by King Herod had been 46 years in the making, but was soon to be destroyed by the Roman empire in 70 AD. Read John 2.13-22, where the cleansing of the temple comes at the beginning of Jesus\'s ministry, and Jesus speaks of \"the temple of his body\". In 2 Corinthians 6.16 Paul tells members of the Church in Corinth \"You are the Temple of the Living God\"

As we receive this word we are reminded that though our worship is enhance d by our beautiful churches and cathedrals built to God\'s glory we need to realise the greater truth that our worship is primarily to do with ourselves being God\'s Temple because we have been baptised into the Body of Christ.

Receiving this Word into our hearts, it is a help to know that the word \"temple\" is derived from an ancient word meaning \"space\", a space where God is present. Adam Nicolson\'s book about his is land in the Hebrides, \"Sea Room\" has on its cover a picture from a room looking out at the sea. Later in the book I realised that \"Sea Room\" me ant the wide space of sea, sky and island, the whole of God\'s creation. We are a pilgrim people on the move in the world at large - sustained by the sti llness and calm of spaces in churches and times of contemplation, but aware of God\'s presence within us and the whole of creation.