Written by Bradley Rito SYI '08, senior MDiv student, and brought to you by the Miller Summer Youth Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

Today we depart from the Daily Lectionary to explore 1 Corinthians 3.

1 Corinthians 3:11-23

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw — 13 the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 14 If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If the work is burned, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future — all belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Devotional

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him.”  These lines are some of the most powerful I have ever read. It invokes so many undoubtable truths that every person needs to carry with them. We are sacred in God’s sight because we have been made into a resting place for the Spirit. Should anyone cause us harm, we need not seek revenge, for that resides in God’s hands. We must do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Also though, we much respect ourselves in body, mind, and spirit, and practice self-care, a practice that, for caregivers in general, gets pushed to the backburner in an attempt to remain selfless or to remain more available for those we care for. Honorable though our intentions may be, we are sacred temples for God and the Spirit, and therefore must do unto ourselves as we do unto others.

Prayer

Almighty God, you make our bodies into a most-holy place for the Spirit to reside. You give us the promises of safety. You give us lessons by which we can shape our lives, in word and in deed. We pray that, as we live the blessed lives you have given us, we might respect these holy temples and live by the lessons you have taught us. This we, in the name of the Father through your Son, Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, pray. Amen.

Written by Bradley Rito SYI '08, senior MDiv student, and brought to you by the Miller Summer Youth Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

Today we depart from the Daily Lectionary to explore 1 Corinthians 3.

1 Corinthians 3:11-23

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw — 13 the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 14 If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If the work is burned, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future — all belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Devotional

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him.”  These lines are some of the most powerful I have ever read. It invokes so many undoubtable truths that every person needs to carry with them. We are sacred in God’s sight because we have been made into a resting place for the Spirit. Should anyone cause us harm, we need not seek revenge, for that resides in God’s hands. We must do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Also though, we much respect ourselves in body, mind, and spirit, and practice self-care, a practice that, for caregivers in general, gets pushed to the backburner in an attempt to remain selfless or to remain more available for those we care for. Honorable though our intentions may be, we are sacred temples for God and the Spirit, and therefore must do unto ourselves as we do unto others.

Prayer

Almighty God, you make our bodies into a most-holy place for the Spirit to reside. You give us the promises of safety. You give us lessons by which we can shape our lives, in word and in deed. We pray that, as we live the blessed lives you have given us, we might respect these holy temples and live by the lessons you have taught us. This we, in the name of the Father through your Son, Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, pray. Amen.