Early on the morning of September 6, the day after the completion of my ride, I was getting ready for our trip into Washington, D.C. for our appointments on Capitol Hill. I was excited for the opportunity and thought it best to wear a suit for the occasion. However, as I took the suit coat from the hanger I noticed the suit pants were gone! I frantically looked in every nook and cranny of our hotel room to no avail. I even went out to the car to search… But no pants! Fortunately I had brought an extra pair of dress slacks that would work with my suit coat.
I never found the pants. So when we arrived home, I went shopping for a new suit. This resulted in a trip to the tailor to provide me with the “perfect” fit. It had been years since I had such an extensive fitting. The tailor had his tape measure out along with his straight pins to make sure the inseam and the waist were just right on the pants. And then he shortened the sleeves and tightened the fit from my chest to my waist of the coat so it was just right. I stood facing the mirror for what seemed like hours as he fussed over every aspect of this suit. In reality it only took a few minutes, but I was impressed with his desire to give me the perfect fit.
This experience reminded me of a passage in Scripture that says, And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” Zechariah 2:1-2
Here we see a description of God measuring Jerusalem like my tailor measured me. Israel had been in Babylonian captivity for 70 years and now it was time for them to return to Jerusalem and get measured for God’s Temple. God wanted to dwell with them in, to be with them, to bring salvation to them. He does this in His Temple. What’s humbling to me is that today God wants to build His Temple in me and you! Paul says it like this, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” God measures me to make sure His Temple will fit in my heart and my life.
The really cool thing about being measured for His Temple to dwell in me is that this measurement is describing God’s judgment. When the tailor measures me, the tape measure is giving an accurate assessment of my lifestyle that has resulted in the circumference of my waist. More Twinkies, more waistline! What a beautiful thing to have God as my tailor to make sure Christ’s robe of righteousness fits me perfectly so that His Temple can be built in my heart for His Spirit to dwell within. I want to be measured. I’m ready to stand in front of God’s mirror to be exposed in the light of His glory, teachings, and commands. What about you?
