Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” (Jeremiah 7:4)

Symbolism… sounds like one of those literary words reserved for high school English class. Maybe you enjoyed it, maybe you were happy to leave it behind. Whether that was a pleasant memory for you or not, we crave symbols and their associated emotional triggers. 

Are you a sports fan? Logos and colors fill us with love and pride for our cities. Our rival’s colors are something we love to hate. Before a game, the color guard presents our nation’s flag while someone sings the national anthem – symbols of shared allegiance despite intercity competition.

All of these are meant to invoke deep emotional reminders of the bond we share as fans of the same team and citizens of the same nation. They stir up memories meant to inspire a sense of community and patriotism. Sometimes, we rely on these symbols to renew our focus and motivate fresh perseverance during tough times.

God knows that we lose focus so easily and benefit from persistent reminders. He agrees to King David’s desire to build a temple: a place in Jerusalem for the Lord to dwell and for His people to come and honor Him. This temple, finally built by David’s son Solomon, is a massive structure right in the center of their most important city, a symbol of the Lord’s covenant with His people. It’s meant to point the people to Him, reminding them of a rich history of the Lord’s faithfulness.

As the meaning of a symbol is often up for interpretation, the Israelites eventually lose sight of what the temple symbolizes. Instead of preserving the original intention of loving and honoring God, the temple itself becomes the thing to be revered. The people misuse it when they reassure themselves during some trouble by chanting, “the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,” trusting in the power of the temple instead of bringing their supplication before the Lord Himself.

As Christians, we have our own symbols of the Lord’s covenant love for us. Crosses adorn churches and occupy spaces in our homes. Many of us wear them as charms on our jewelry (an interesting choice if you consider their original purpose as Roman instruments of execution). We do this in part as a reminder to ourselves and as an expression to others of our commitment to following the ways of Jesus Christ.

The cross is a powerful symbol, but it is not a good luck charm. It is not the cross hanging from our necklaces that protects us and gives us hope in times of trouble. It’s our Lord Jesus having died upon the cross for our sake who is with us always. It’s in Him that we find peace, love, protection, discipline, encouragement, hope. The symbol of the cross points us to what is already present within our hearts through the love of Jesus Christ.

Lord, may you guide each of us today. Work in our hearts and our minds to show us where we might be placing our trust that takes our focus away from you. Guide us in your presence today and always. Amen.