sanctuary

"LORD prepare me, to be a sanctuary,
pure and holy,
tried and true,
with thanksgiving,
i'll be a living,
sanctuary for You."

have you heard that song before? i have sung it in church since i was a child. there is a longer version, but i've only sung this chorus. over and over. a sweet, slow, melodic chorus. this song has been on my heart for sometime now. i'll sing it out of nowhere and i wonder why at 2am while i have to make my middle-of-the-night trip to the bathroom, i'm singing this worship hymn.

i want to be prepared. prepared for the storms of this life, prepared for the awful days to come, prepared for what He has called me to do. i would rather be on the offense now of preparation, than on the defense of unpreparedness later in the game. i want to be prepared to finish my race well (per Hebrews 12:1) and however He chooses to do that, i know His ways aren't my own and His thoughts are higher than mine, then i accept how He wishes to prepare me. but in this song, the worshipper is asking to be prepared to be a sanctuary. what is a sanctuary?

a sanctuary, by definition, is a house of worship or a place of refuge/a holy place/a safe place. it is where millions across the world gather once a week to worship Him, it is where endangered plants and animals find rest and protection from the harmful outside world. a sanctuary. and as i sing this song, i am asking to be prepared to be a sanctuary. i am asking to made into a pure, holy, tried and true place of refuge. why? why would i sing to the Creator of the universe to make ME a living safe place for Him??? He is King, He is Ruler, He is Almighty. why oh why would He need me to be a holy place for Him?

it never really made sense to me...until today. i'm not sure who wrote this song. i'm not sure of its history or what the composer had in mind when they sang these words. but to me, it is as if i am pleading with Him to make my life and my heart and my spirit a place for Him to dwell in safety. you see, so many of us boast we are "Christians/believers/followers." and yet, our spirit inside must grieve because of our wicked hearts, and our unclean thoughts. do you understand? some of us, including myself, are not always a pure and holy place for Him to dwell. our sanctuaries are dirty, there are stains on the carpets of our hearts, and we refuse to make our spirits a refuge for His Son to live. so we reject Him. maybe not willingly, but often with our words or our actions, we are telling Him that we are not a safe haven for His Spirit. we kick Him out and won't allow His worship to penetrate the deepest parts of us. yes, He is our refuge, He is our hiding place....but in turn, He is longing for the same in us!!!

this song asks our Savior to purify us inside and out. when i sing this song now, i will fully know what i am singing. i am requesting of my Father to clean up my filth (aka prepare me) and allow Him to dwell safely within me. i am telling Him that, WITH THANKSGIVING, i will protect His name, i will protect His Word, i will protect His commandments. i am telling Him that He can trust me to keep myself pure and righteous so that His presence doesn't ever have to leave me,and that i will be thankful to do so!!

are you a "Holy Spirit" sanctuary? are you a safe place for our Messiah to dwell? are you a refuge for the Most High's name? do you protect His Word and His laws and commands over your own selfish ways? can He abide in you knowing you won't cause Him shame? are you prepared to make yourself pure and holy, tried and true? are you a sanctuary?