MADE HIS DWELLING PLACE

I recently heard someone say something along the lines of, “All of creation trembles in His presence, yet we are the ones He designed to be made His dwelling place.” Those words stopped me in my tracks and sent me running to Scripture, asking why God would create mankind to be the only ones to house Him.

Mountains shake in His presence. Seas part. Demons flee. Even angels cover their faces before Him. All of creation responds to His holiness yet somehow we were designed to be His dwelling place.

When we look at Scripture, we see that God has always cared deeply about where His presence dwells. In the beginning, His dwelling place was the Tabernacle, and later the Temple. These were sacred spaces. No one unclean could enter. Sin had to be atoned for. Offerings had to be made. God’s presence was holy, weighty, and not to be approached casually.

Then Jesus enters the story.

Jesus, the perfect and spotless Lamb, was offered as the once-and-for-all sacrifice. Through Him, the barrier between God and man was removed. “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Welcome to the new covenant.

Jesus tells His disciples in John 16:7 that it is actually “to your advantage” that He goes away, because if He does, the Helper will come. This moment marks something entirely new for mankind. No longer would God dwell in a tent or a building made by hands. The Holy Spirit would come and dwell within us.

The Holy Spirit helps, comforts, and counsels. He points our eyes toward Jesus. He reveals the heart of God. And this is where the weight of it all hits me.

All of creation glorifies God (Psalm 19), yet we are the only ones made in His image. Not mountains. Not oceans. Not angels. Us.

We weren’t just created by Him.
We were created for Him.

That truth is where the inspiration for this design was born.

But if I’m being honest, sitting in that truth isn’t always easy. There’s tension there. Because part of my story is acknowledging that sometimes the house is messy. Sometimes it feels less than hospitable.

When I host people in my home, I want them to feel welcomed and comfortable. I clean. I sort. I prepare. I want my guests to simply come in and enjoy being there. And sometimes I find myself approaching God the same way, feeling like I need to clean myself up before inviting Him in.

God, why would You want to live in someone like me? Someone messy. Someone broken. Someone still figuring it out.

This is where I’ve learned to lean into His grace.

God never asked for a perfect house. He chose a willing one. His grace restores what is broken. His presence doesn’t wait for perfection — it brings transformation.

Understanding that my body is His dwelling place has reshaped the way I live. It’s given new purpose to how I invest in my soul.

How do I speak?
How do I move?
How do I love, create, and forgive?

Not out of fear. Not out of pressure.
But out of honor, knowing I carry His presence into every space I step into.

This shirt isn’t just a phrase. It’s a reminder.
You are not empty.
You are not ordinary.
You were made His dwelling place.