The body is a temple.

I've been reading NT Wright's Simply Christian. It's an amazing book, although written for those who may be new to Christianity, it contains the insight and fresh angles we expect from Wright.

As I think more about the kingdom of heaven, and what Jesus said many times, "The kingdom of God (heaven) is near (at hand)." I strongly believe that the kingdom of God is not up in the sky or some future event, but is here and now, and we can access it via the Holy Spirit.

The Bible also says our body is a temple. I always thought of that as relating to sin - to use our bodies for good and also to adhere to a healthy lifestyle. That's important, but Wright takes it further and connects it to the kingdom.

In ancient Israel, the temple was God's dwelling place. It was the place where God met with his people and lived among them. As Wright puts it, it was the place "where heaven and earth overlap." A thin place. A drawing back of the curtain.

When we accept the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, our bodies become temples. A place where God meets us and dwells in us and among us. We are God's temples.

I am a place where heaven and earth overlap. An outpost of the kingdom of God. A place where the Lord's Prayer can be fulfilled, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." May it be so.