The Hidden Person of the Heart

You are the temple of God. Growing up in church, we all hear about this a lot. But how does the idea of being the temple of the Holy Spirit translate into the area of purity? 

In the Old Testament, the temple was treasured. It was beautiful. It was adorned for God, alone. Outward appearance didn't define the worth of the temple. There was no need to flaunt its attractions before the world. Its glory was not in its physical beauty, but in the fact that the very presence of the Creator and Lover of the entire Universe had descended within its gates.

More beautiful than what was visible in the temple were the elements of its courts that were concealed from public view. 1 Peter 3:4 calls it the "hidden person of the heart". In her book Set Apart Femininity, Leslie Ludy talks about veiling this hidden person, by looking at the different parts of the temple. This is a paraphrase of her thoughts:

The Holy of Holies

          This arena must never be shared or made open to the public, even to those of your most intimate circle...the Holy of Holies represents the most intimate and precious areas of the human soul and body. And this supremely sacred arena of the human life is preserved for God alone and able to be shared with a spouse under the parameters of the holy marriage covenant. The Holy of Holies includes such sacred things as intercourse and the deepest, most personal dimensions of the heart and mind. 

The Holy Place

           Like the Holy of Holies, this domain of the human life must not be shared with the public. However, it is accessible to more than just God and a spouse...Family and intimate friends can be allowed into this holy sector if they first prove honorable and upright. The holy place includes such sacred things as deeply personal expression and touch (nonsexual), dimensions of the heart and mind containing highly sensitive and sacred matters (hurts, vulnerabilities, fears, weaknesses, dreams, desires, longings). 

The Outer Court

          Like the Holy Place, this sacred arena of the human life is open to more than just a spouse in marriage... The outer court includes such sacred things as friendly touch, words of specific encouragement, character endorsements, intercessory prayer, friendships with believers, the teaching and discussing of doctrine, and communion. 

Most of us don't have a problem concealing the Holy of Holies. So how does this relate to purity?

Think about the way you interact with your guy friends. How much access do they have to your inner person?  Have you allowed any of them into the Holy Place of your heart?  Trusted guy friends should be welcome in your Outer Court. Relationships that involve encouragement, prayer, and friendly touch have the basis to be edifying and God-glorifying. But if we begin to unveil the deeper dimensions of our hidden person, this alters the relationship significantly. Are you really "just friends" with someone if you routinely unload your emotional burdens on them one-on-one?  Are you protecting the valued mystique God gave you as a woman if you are making the deeper dimensions of your heart available to those who should not be in your most trusted circle?

I think it's interesting how we often feel a draw to make our Holy Place known to the guys around us. Our culture has taught us the importance of sharing emotions and not carrying them all by ourselves. Often, we want to be able to give them a full emotional download. But, in pursuit of that longing, I think we often miss the Outer Court completely. Many of us have no problem pouring out our thoughts and desires to those around us. But do we encourage them?  Do we intercede for them?

The analogy of the temple and the three courts has really helped me in the way I relate to guys. I used to really struggle with wanting to "unload", emotionally, on some of my guy friends that I trusted. One friendship a few years ago was particularly unhealthy; it came to the point where I realized that this one friend knew more about me than almost anyone else. When I began to awaken to the idea of protecting my inner person, it really stretched me. I started to take those hurts, fears, vulnerabilities, weaknesses, dreams, longings and desires to the foot of the cross.... not just rattling them off in a prayer, but leaving them in His hands and pouring out my heart to Him. It felt strange, at first. But it was so beautiful. He is the only one strong enough to carry me, and He is faithful to do it.

Not only did protecting my Holy Place increase my trust, it also turned my focus outward in terms of relating to my guy friends. He opened my eyes to the beauty of the Outer Court that I had mostly skimmed over. Instead of looking for opportunities to share myself, He laid a burden on my heart to intercede for and encourage the people He had placed around me.

You are a temple. You are treasured and beautiful in His eyes; You are the dwelling place of Jesus. He cherishes the hidden person of your heart. Are you willing to let Him protect it?