Becoming the House of the Lord

Osmosis

Have you ever heard of Jim Rohn’s “Law of Average?” This Law simply states that you become the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Another similar law is the law of Osmosis. A definition of Osmosis is “the process of gradual or unconscious assimilation of ideas, knowledge, etc.” The common principle that underlies both of these concepts is this; You become like what you surround yourself with. This applies in our social lives as well as in chemistry, but frankly it doesn’t have much to do with my topic. I just needed to start with something.

What makes something a Temple?

We are incredibly blessed to live in an area which is so full of Temples of the Lord. We have a pretty good idea of what temples are and what they do. But what makes these beautiful pieces of architecture Houses of the Lord? To help us more fully understand what makes a temple a temple, we need to look to scriptural words.

When we talk about temples in the scriptures, the first ones which come to mind are the Temple of Solomon, the Kirtland Temple, and Nauvoo Temple. Each of these are what we would call the permanent Houses of the Lord. Real, solid buildings dedicated to the Lord’s work. But there are other examples that are not quite as clear cut. The Tabernacle constructed by the Israelites following their exodus from Egypt was a portable temple. Other examples of temple like places are Mount Sinai and the Mount of Transfiguration.

But where is the common thread that can make mountains, an elaborate tent, and all these beautiful buildings the Houses of the Lord?

The Mounts of Transfiguration and Sinai

When Christ took some of his disciples to the top of the mount of transfiguration, the glory of God came upon them from a cloud, as told in Matthew 17: 5:

“While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

A similar thing occurred on Mount Sinai in Exodus 24:

“And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.”

Both of these instances mention clouds and the presence of God.

The Tabernacle

During Moses’ experience on mount Sinai, the Lord commanded him to build a portable temple, the Tabernacle. When it was completed, the Lord’s said to Moses in Exodus 29: 42-43:

“This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.”

Again the Lord tells us that the temple is place filled with and sanctified by his glory.

Temples

There have been many temples built unto the Lord throughout time. Solomon was commanded to build a temple in Jerusalem. The early saints were told that a righteous people always build Houses of the Lord. Today we continue to build and dedicate temples for worship and ordinances.

But the thing that sets a temple apart is the presence of the Spirit and Glory of God. No matter where his presence is, it sanctifies and perfects it. Making it, for as long as that Spirit remains, a temple and his house.

Another Type of Temple

We have discussed many types of temples. But the apostle Paul tells us of another in 1 Corinthians 3:16:

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

He continues with a warning in verse 17:

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

Inviting the Spirit into our Lives

We are truly the temple of God because we have his Spirit to be with us. How can we gain the Spirit of God more in our day to day lives, and become as the temple of God ourselves? We know that we can invite the Spirit by serving others faithfully, by studying the world of the Lord, going to church, and by living worthy of the Spirit. These and other things invite the Spirit into our lives. It seems that as we surround ourselves with things of the Spirit, we become more spiritual ourselves.

If we gain the Spirit of God in our lives by surrounding ourselves with that Spirit, wouldn’t the temple be the greatest way to strengthen our spirits? President James E. Faust made this point in the talk, Eternity Lies Before us, in May of 1997:

“Maintaining our spiritual strength is a daily challenge. The greatest source of that spiritual strength comes from our temples.”

Osmosis Again

Throughout the Bible and in modern times, the presence and Glory of God is the power which makes a place holy and a temple of the Lord. In ancient days, the days of the early saints, and today we become temples of the Lord’s Spirit as we live worthy of that Spirit to surround us. And doesn't that sound a little bit like Osmosis? This “Law of Average” that determines our spiritual strength by what we associate with?

I bear testimony that a holy place is a place in the presence of God. That we can become holy through faith in Christ and surrounding ourselves with that Spirit in our lives. I pray that we all may take more time to attend the temple and become more like our Father in Heaven. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

(Written on November 27th, 2014, for a Sacrament Meeting talk on Temples)

The Purpose of Mountains

  Throughout the history of this world mountains have had significance. They have stood as powerful sentinels in the sky for all the generations of man. They are seen as a way to draw near to God. Many people have had their most sacred spiritual experiences on the top of a mountain. I for one believe that God gives us mountains, both of the physical kind as well as the spiritual, to help us become more like him.

Meteu's (Met-tay-oo) Journey up The Western Mountain

  In the Order of the Arrow ceremonies the Medicine Man, Meteu, calls upon us a challenge; to "strictly keep a pledge of silence", for "Hours spent in thoughtful silence help us make the right decisions". He had heard the principles and admonitions of the Order "whispered on the western mountains". It was on a mountain that the Order of the Arrow began. It's principles where sent from God, and are very much needed in the world we live in. 

   Meteu talks of how he journeyed up the mountain, experiencing hardship while also receiving some of the most profound wisdom from on high. This is symbolic of our lives, Meteu says at the conclusion of his tale, "you need seek no rocky summit: These high places are within you", and so they are. 

  What makes a Mountain Sacred? 

  Mountains bring us out of our lives. As we climb we are able to leave behind our everyday troubles and touch the divine. This comes from it's height. It also comes from the difficulty of the accession. To reach a summit and realize that you have overcome an obstacle and now stand above your troubles bring peace and puts you in a position to receive inspiration from on high. 

  Similarly we can find spiritual mountains in our lives. We call them trials, adversity, and opposition. These things do the same thing to our spirit as a mountain does to our bodies. When we experience adversity it takes us away from our normal lives. It pushes us, and is difficult to overcome. But when you finish that journey, you can stand above your afflictions with a testimony of Christ and all he's done for you. This is when He can talk to you and pour out blessings on your head the most. 

My Journeys to the Western Mountain

  I have had these thoughts on my mind for a long time. They were developed as I learned on my mountains; both the spiritual and physical kinds. I am privileged to say that I spend my summers at the base of my "Western Mountain", the Tetons. As I work at Camp Loll all the summer long, I have received some of the most sure witnesses and revelations of my life. I made this blog to share some of the "striving, fighting, battling" I experience on my mountain this summer as well as the "whisperings, urgings, promptings" that I glean from those experiences. I wish you all well. And may you ponder the words you hear whispered on the mountains.