If someone takes a few minutes and searches through their
home, they will find a great number of containers that are designed to hold
specific things, and other vessels that you would only use in certain
situations and not for storing other things. We see an example of this
throughout the Old Testament; some things were designed and identified to be
used only for holy use and not for common use.
The
tabernacle that was designed by God and given to the people of Israel to be
used during worship and sacrifice could only be used for religious purposes.
The ark of the covenant was not even to be touched by human hands and was only
for containing the written law, Aaron’s rod that budded, and was topped by two
golden angels.
We have
a similar situation in the New Testament regarding the Virgin Mary; YHWH sent
the angel Gabriel to communicate the message that she was chosen to be the
vessel for bringing about the incarnation of the Son of God. Just like one
would not use containers in one’s kitchen for holding unclean items but only
for food items.
I
encourage everyone reading this brief collection of thoughts to consider your
own life, and what you put in your heart and mind. You need to understand that
if you have been baptized into the people of God, you are no longer your own
and should only be taking into yourself those things that are holy and will
identify you as different from the culture around you.
Sometimes
it is a sad reality that some people will make the decision to label themselves
as a follower of Christ, but then live a life that is not holy, pure, or
righteous. What kind of vessel are you? Are you filled with and contain only
those things that are holy, or do you allow corruption, perversion, and hatred
within yourself? Work hard to be faithful to your claims about yourself and be
a vessel used only for those things of value.
