We are His House
God’s Wondrous Ways of the Blessings of His Presence
1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43
Psalm 84
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:56-69
A few weeks ago we learned of how works in our lives in many ways. When Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel , God ministered to him after his great ordeal and weariness at Mount Carmel. An angel touched him (I Kings 19:5) in his weariness of body and spirit and fed him two times. How does God continue to touch us in our lives here and now?
Another OT reading which was for today tells us of the bringing of the ark of the Covenant to the temple ( I Kings 8). In the ark were the two tables of stone. .. that is the ten commandments written by the finger of God. We read today that “ when the priests were come out of the holy place that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.” I Kings 8:11 Is this not a wonderful blessing? The house of the LORD as our Psalter echoed today shows that the house of the LORD is a beautiful place.
Birds make their nests the Psalmist says and this is how the house of the LORD is for His people. We even have such nests outside this place if you go out the north-east doors where the ramp is and look up! The birds are trying to tell us something about the house of God. “ Yea, even the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.” Ps 84:3
The Psalmist has it right. “ For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.” 84:10 “ I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Vs. 11 Can we say that ? Is this where our hearts desire to be? Of course we can worship God anywhere. His created order is a beautiful place and when we see it with our eyes we know it was not made by chance but by God Himself in creation. I came across some good thinking from a famous Christian classic which expresses some of what I am trying to say here. Brother Lawrence , a French Carmelite brother lived in the 17th century and wrote The Practice of the Presence of God: “ It is not necessary for being with God to be always at church. We may make an oratory (altar) of our heart wherein to retire from time to time to converse with him in meekness, humility, and love. Everyone is capable of such familiar conversation with God, some more, some less…..I know that for the right practice of it ( the presence of God) the heart must be empty of all other things, because God will possess the heart alone; and as he cannot possess it along without emptying it of all besides, so neither can he act there, and do in it what pleases , unless it be left vacant to him.”
We continue to hear of the house of God in I Kings 8:22 . “ And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel.” Then he prayed. This was the secular ruler over Israel but in this case Solomon knew God and he knew what he was doing, so he led the nation in dedication. I remember such a moment in our nation as well when in 9-11 our President prayed at the National Cathedral for the nation . We too are a religious nation. Solomon’s prayer is beautiful in what it says:
“ LORD God of heaven of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before Thee with all their heart….O LORD my God, …hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day ..”
He asks something remarkable in v41-43. Here Solomon asks that “ all people of the earth may know thy name to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house which I have builded is called by thy name.” The house of God is named for God and the name is the place of God and He dwells there but not just there! Solomon prays that all people may know to fear God. The house builded by thy name is where He dwells and where He calls His people to show forth His name. Is it any different in the New Covenant? Yes, and no. We have a better covenant the writer to the Hebrews tells us instituted by the blood of Jesus that we may enter the holies of holies and into the very presence of God Himself.
Today also I wish to call attention to our Epistle lesson which tells us ,” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Eph 6:10 We are because of the power of God strong in the Lord already. We have been made strong in the Lord . That is the right translation of this Greek verb in the passive tense. The word is dunamis in the Greek. Dynamite. We carry His power and presence with us because of Christ in us . We are His House. We are His temple. We are His people and carry His name.
Today and every day let us show others what we already are because of the faith we have in Christ and our trust in His redeeming blood. Put on the whole armor of God. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Stand therefore in His truth and wield the sword of the Spirit praying always for all saints.
1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43
Psalm 84
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:56-69
A few weeks ago we learned of how works in our lives in many ways. When Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel , God ministered to him after his great ordeal and weariness at Mount Carmel. An angel touched him (I Kings 19:5) in his weariness of body and spirit and fed him two times. How does God continue to touch us in our lives here and now?
Another OT reading which was for today tells us of the bringing of the ark of the Covenant to the temple ( I Kings 8). In the ark were the two tables of stone. .. that is the ten commandments written by the finger of God. We read today that “ when the priests were come out of the holy place that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.” I Kings 8:11 Is this not a wonderful blessing? The house of the LORD as our Psalter echoed today shows that the house of the LORD is a beautiful place.
Birds make their nests the Psalmist says and this is how the house of the LORD is for His people. We even have such nests outside this place if you go out the north-east doors where the ramp is and look up! The birds are trying to tell us something about the house of God. “ Yea, even the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.” Ps 84:3
The Psalmist has it right. “ For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.” 84:10 “ I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Vs. 11 Can we say that ? Is this where our hearts desire to be? Of course we can worship God anywhere. His created order is a beautiful place and when we see it with our eyes we know it was not made by chance but by God Himself in creation. I came across some good thinking from a famous Christian classic which expresses some of what I am trying to say here. Brother Lawrence , a French Carmelite brother lived in the 17th century and wrote The Practice of the Presence of God: “ It is not necessary for being with God to be always at church. We may make an oratory (altar) of our heart wherein to retire from time to time to converse with him in meekness, humility, and love. Everyone is capable of such familiar conversation with God, some more, some less…..I know that for the right practice of it ( the presence of God) the heart must be empty of all other things, because God will possess the heart alone; and as he cannot possess it along without emptying it of all besides, so neither can he act there, and do in it what pleases , unless it be left vacant to him.”
We continue to hear of the house of God in I Kings 8:22 . “ And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel.” Then he prayed. This was the secular ruler over Israel but in this case Solomon knew God and he knew what he was doing, so he led the nation in dedication. I remember such a moment in our nation as well when in 9-11 our President prayed at the National Cathedral for the nation . We too are a religious nation. Solomon’s prayer is beautiful in what it says:
“ LORD God of heaven of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before Thee with all their heart….O LORD my God, …hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day ..”
He asks something remarkable in v41-43. Here Solomon asks that “ all people of the earth may know thy name to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house which I have builded is called by thy name.” The house of God is named for God and the name is the place of God and He dwells there but not just there! Solomon prays that all people may know to fear God. The house builded by thy name is where He dwells and where He calls His people to show forth His name. Is it any different in the New Covenant? Yes, and no. We have a better covenant the writer to the Hebrews tells us instituted by the blood of Jesus that we may enter the holies of holies and into the very presence of God Himself.
Today also I wish to call attention to our Epistle lesson which tells us ,” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Eph 6:10 We are because of the power of God strong in the Lord already. We have been made strong in the Lord . That is the right translation of this Greek verb in the passive tense. The word is dunamis in the Greek. Dynamite. We carry His power and presence with us because of Christ in us . We are His House. We are His temple. We are His people and carry His name.
Today and every day let us show others what we already are because of the faith we have in Christ and our trust in His redeeming blood. Put on the whole armor of God. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Stand therefore in His truth and wield the sword of the Spirit praying always for all saints.
Comments
Post a Comment