When royalty comes to town

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you . . . and you are not your own.— 1 Corinthians 6:19

My friend Tim Davis tells the story of being in Trinidad as a little boy when Queen Elizabeth came to visit their town. He recalls going with his missionary parents to join hundreds of others who gathered to greet the queen. Waving his little flag, he watched as the entourage came down the street — first the soldiers, then the mounted guard, and then the limousine from which she waved to the cheering crowd. He looked on as the queen drove out of town, leaving everyone to return to life as usual. In Tim’s words, “Royalty came to town and nothing changed!”

For those of us who have accepted Jesus as Savior, there was a day when royalty arrived — in our heart. As Paul put it, our body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19) — a reality that has huge ramifications. His residence in our life is intended to transform us to live in a way that brings glory to Him. Our relationships, the way we serve our employer, how we use our money, how we treat our enemies, and everything else in our lives should reflect the wonderful reality that royalty lives within.

Has anything changed since King Jesus came into your heart? Does your world notice or do they think He was just passing through? — Joe Stowell   

By this shall every person know

That we serve God above:

His Spirit dwells within our hearts

And fills us with His love. — D. De Haan

READ: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

If Jesus has taken up residence in us, the world should notice a lasting change.