Part 7: Under Pressure
Stress tends to bring out the worst in us. But not with Jesus. Though He was crushed in spirit, He showed in countless ways where His heart truly was. Washing Judas’ feet, comforting the women while carrying the cross, speaking words of healing to his mother and the thief, forgiving His enemies… believe it or not, the Holy Spirit can create such a heart in us, too. Do we want Him to?
If we are the Temple where redemption happens, what is our plan to draw people to Him? The answer is to relearn an ancient, almost forgotten practice: Hospitality. In a time when loneliness is an epidemic, when few people know their neighbors, something as simple as a meal together can be the starting place for something beautiful to happen.
When our bond with God was severed by our sin, He didn’t give up on us. He made a second Eden, a place for us to meet with Him and be redeemed. That place was the Temple, and the events that happened there teach us about a God who is mighty to save, the cost of our sin, and His plans for us.
