Again this year as I have been reading though "The One Year Bible", I came across the verses in 2 Chronicles 6 where Solomon offered his wonderful prayer to God after completing the building of the temple. For many years I thought about the phrase that Solomon repeats over and over about God hearing and answering prayers that are directed towards the holy temple where God's presence dwells. In my heart, I wondered if God still wanted us to face towards Jerusalem when we prayed.
...And now for my confession - not meaning to sound pious or "holier than thou" or anything - but that is what I have done as I have got down on my hands and knees before God. Having had bilateral knee surgeries, this was very challenging at times! Because I couldn't get down on my knees, this often required an alternate position of lying face down on the floor.
This week as I was re-reading these passages, again I pondered if those were just Solomon's words, or if this act of getting on my knees and facing Jerusalem as I prayed was something that pleased God or affected whether or not He answered my prayers. In the same daily reading were verses from Psalm 18 about God sending help from His sanctuary or temple. I thought about Solomon's temple that was destroyed, and the temple that was standing in Jesus' day also being destroyed. What about churches that appear to be crumbling from the inside out even though the outer structure is still in tact? If this is the case, how does God send help from His sanctuary?
Then it dawned on me - that's why there's a temple in heaven! Habakkuk 2:20 says "The LORD is in His holy temple." Revelation 11:19 says "In heaven the temple of God was opened and the Ark of His covenant could be seen inside the Temple." And Psalm 18 puts it so beautifully as David cries out to God in verses 6, 9, & 16 - "In my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears, ...He opened the heavens and came down, ...He reached down from heaven and rescued me."
Thank God, He never leaves His sanctuary! He is always available. I don't have to get down on my knees. I can just lift my hands and my voice to Him in His holy temple in heaven. Churches and temples here on earth may crumble, but God is always reachable in His heavenly temple. And as Psalm 18:19 says, He will lead us to places of safety and rescue us because He delights in us!
I don't know about you, but this good news was my Joy4Today!
Linking with Spiritual Sundays, Brag on God Fridays, and Heart and Soul Pursuits!
...And now for my confession - not meaning to sound pious or "holier than thou" or anything - but that is what I have done as I have got down on my hands and knees before God. Having had bilateral knee surgeries, this was very challenging at times! Because I couldn't get down on my knees, this often required an alternate position of lying face down on the floor.
This week as I was re-reading these passages, again I pondered if those were just Solomon's words, or if this act of getting on my knees and facing Jerusalem as I prayed was something that pleased God or affected whether or not He answered my prayers. In the same daily reading were verses from Psalm 18 about God sending help from His sanctuary or temple. I thought about Solomon's temple that was destroyed, and the temple that was standing in Jesus' day also being destroyed. What about churches that appear to be crumbling from the inside out even though the outer structure is still in tact? If this is the case, how does God send help from His sanctuary?
Then it dawned on me - that's why there's a temple in heaven! Habakkuk 2:20 says "The LORD is in His holy temple." Revelation 11:19 says "In heaven the temple of God was opened and the Ark of His covenant could be seen inside the Temple." And Psalm 18 puts it so beautifully as David cries out to God in verses 6, 9, & 16 - "In my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears, ...He opened the heavens and came down, ...He reached down from heaven and rescued me."
Thank God, He never leaves His sanctuary! He is always available. I don't have to get down on my knees. I can just lift my hands and my voice to Him in His holy temple in heaven. Churches and temples here on earth may crumble, but God is always reachable in His heavenly temple. And as Psalm 18:19 says, He will lead us to places of safety and rescue us because He delights in us!
I don't know about you, but this good news was my Joy4Today!
Linking with Spiritual Sundays, Brag on God Fridays, and Heart and Soul Pursuits!
