Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Divine Revelation in Worship
1 Kings 8:26-43  
                       
Michelle Prakash

St. Andrews MTC, NY
30 Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive.

The dedication of the temple was a pivotal point in Israel's history. It was an exciting time for a people that had never before had their own place of worship. Solomon understood the importance of promises, especially those of God's and His unrelenting fulfillment of them. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham that His presence would be with His people on the land He had given to them. Solomon knew that God keeps His promises, and calls upon God to do so because he realizes that he can take hold of God's promises through prayer.
"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place." - v 27
A new way to worship was created. God is too big to be contained within four walls, but His presence was available to those who sought Him out. The heavens and earth cannot contain who God is, but the temple became a space where God and His people could meet. Those who wanted to know God now had access to Him and could worship Him in a new way. When they prayed in this temple of God, God would be there to hear their prayer.
Solomon prayed that God heard the cries and thoughts of His people but also understood that above all they needed forgiveness. He continues on to pray for the peoples' prayers to be heard in every shape and form. Solomon realized that God was above all circumstances and therefore prayed for the circumstances that the Israelites often had to deal with. Prayer was his direct communication with God to express it all.

PRAYER

God we pray that You continue to draw us closer to You. We pray that we can be bold with our faith and proclaim it in the ministry of our everyday lives. We pray all of this in Your precious and holy name. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
We have direct access to God. There is no fear, He takes us as we are. 

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