Growing in the Knowledge of Godنموونە

God is a Sanctuary

“Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.’” (Ezekiel 11:16)

Even if we're excluded from public places of worship, we're not deprived of the grace found in those places. The Lord, who sometimes leads His people to feel like exiles, will be with them and provide all they would have experienced in their regular gatherings for worship. Let this resonate with you, you who are called to wander!

God is a refuge for His people. They find safety with Him from every enemy. He is not only their place of worship but also their sanctuary. He is present with them as He was with Jacob when he slept in the open field and, upon waking, declared, “Surely the Lord is in this place.” He will also be a sanctuary of peace for them, akin to the Holy of Holies in the temple, where the Eternal dwelled in silence. They will be at peace, free from the fear of harm.

God Himself, in Christ Jesus, is the sanctuary of mercy. Jesus is the Ark of the Covenant, and everything associated with it—Aaron's staff, the urn holding manna, the tablets of the law—is found in Christ, our sanctuary. In God, we encounter the realm of holiness and communion. What more could we possibly need? Lord, fulfill this promise and always be to us a sacred sanctuary!