8/26/12
Today we hear a very old story of King
Solomon building a temple for God. I have read this story many
times, but each time something different strikes me as being
important. Today verse 27 where Solomon says “Even heaven and the
highest heaven cannont contain you, much less this hourse that I have
built!”. He goes on to ask that God answer prayers said in the
temple, or even when facing towards the temple. Finally he asks that
even foreigners' prayers be heard when praying towards this house, so
that all people may know the Lord's name and fear you. For the
people at this time fearing the Lord was not like a battered child,
but a deep respect and awe for the power of the Lord. An
acknowledgment of God's awesome power and might for those who weren't
even the people of Israel.
Solomon is telling us so much about God
right here that we can use to better understand God right now, here
in this place and in our lives. It is amazing. God is bigger than
any building, any community, any space. God is surrounding us,
loving us, and walking with us. God is close to us and can not be
contained by us. Let that sink in for just a minute. What does that
mean? For me, that means no matter where I am, what I am doing,
thinking or feeling, God is with me. God is surrounding me in my
everyday life. How amazing is that?
With that acknowledgement Solomon
continues to pray regarding the temple. Despite the very knowledge
that we can not contian God in a building Solomon asks that those who
pray in that building or towards that building be heard and the
prayers be answered. Even with the knowledge that God is all around
us, Solomon acknowledges are human need to have a space of community,
a visual representation of sacred “God” space to aim our prayers
at.
We hear so oftent that the church is a
people, not a place. I have said it and so have many others, but I
think Solomon reminds us that the space, the place that we worship is
important too. Sometimes we need to be assured of God's presence.
Sometimes we are so lost, lonely, broken, forlorn and on the brink of
devastation that we can't imagine God walking beside us. We need to
know with a gurantee where we can find God. Where we can pay and be
assured we are heard, where we can just be and hope to soak up some
peace. This is why churches are important. Why we come here
sometimes even when we are busy and have a million things to do.
Not only is God guranteed in this place
but even those who have just heard of God's love and commitment to
his people are welcomed to come and pray. All are welcome to the
house of the Lord. All can come here no matter what get to know
God's presence a bit. What an amazing message for us this day. I
want you to take a few moments right now if you so choose to just
allow yourself to feel God's presence with us today. Let your soul
reach out and feel the Lord in this space. I can only imagine the
people at the temple during Solomon's prayer felt a little like this
too.
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