“He overlaid the inside with pure gold.” – 2 Chronicles 3:3b

This was the first decoration Solomon added to the temple.  It was not an external decoration, where all his hard work and expense could be justified to his people, many of whom had donated the gold themselves, but inward facing, where God would sit.

Solomon had his priorities straight.  He wanted to make God famous, to spread His light to the Gentiles and advertise His reign.  He wanted to build the most magnificent temple the world had ever seen.  But first, he wanted to honor God on the inside, where barely anyone would ever go, where no one would see but God.

We often become so focused on the work of ministry that we forget the One we advertise.  We fight for the lost, but become lost ourselves, in our work.  We focus on the external, costing God the relationship we once had with him.

In that flurry it’s far easier to let things slip, to disobey and dishonor.  After all, we’re doing God’s work.  How can we sin?

But God doesn’t dwell in a temple anymore.  He left that place so He could be close to us.  God’s new temple is in our hearts.  I want to take Solomon’s process to heart.  Before I go out for the day to spread the shalom, I want to honor God in that temple.  I want to be gold inside, where only He sees.

I want my whole life to shine, but first on the inside.