PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: 1 Kings 7-8
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“But will God really dwell on earth?” (1 Kings 8:27)
God – the awesome, uncontainable Creator – wants to live with you and me!
The temple was meant to symbolize God’s greatness AND goodness.
It showed that God wanted to live with them, to be at home among us.
Don’t get stuck on the symbol, look at its meaning!!!!
God wants a personal relationship, He wants to love us and be loved by us.
He doesn’t care about our temples or our sacrifices, He cares about us!
Sadly, often His followers forget and focus more on the religious symbols.
Ultimately He becomes human in Jesus, to show us what He really wants.
Yes, God really will dwell on earth, with us.
As followers of Jesus, our greatest joy is to live in fellowship with God.
“You are God’s temple, God’s Spirit dwells in your midst!” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Have you opened your heart to God and Jesus?
Has the glory of God and Jesus (the Spirit) filled you, His real temple?
Yes, God really will dwell with you and me, but will we let Him?
PRAYER
Lord, forgive me for admiring the religious symbols more than the spiritual reality. May the awesomeness of You living in me so fill me that others sense Your glory through me.
“As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.
What a great immigration/foreigner policy!
This was the pinnacle – the people of Israel at its best! What a day of jubilation and praise! What an event this must of been with all the pageantry and all the sacrifices! God kept His promises – that is evident. Solomon is right that God is not contained here – but is present among His people. Sure, walking itno many beautiful cathedrals and gothic churches – is beautiful – but I don’t need to look for God there. Today I have the privilege of being a temple of the HS! Thank you Jesus for your special gift.
Emmanuel. God with us.
As His presence and glory was revealed in His dwelling that Solomon built, the main thing was the relationship of God with His people. God living among His people. However, God does not dwell in a house but in the hearts of the people. Everyday is the Lord’s day showing how we/I live in His presence and may that presence be evident in all I do and say – walking in His statues – His SonShine – living for Jesus. May His LightShine in all I do and say.
Living for Jesus a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
O Jesus, Lord and Savior,
I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy [redemption],*
Didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master,
My heart shall be Thy throne,
My life I give, henceforth to live,
O Christ, for Thee alone.