Closer Day By Day

Glory one moment… and the next moment - the despair over the division of a nation.

In just 5 short chapters, we experience the extreme swing of emotions.   The stories may be familiar but let us see what we can learn together today…

Bible Passage: 2 Chronicles 6-10

A Building, More or Less

I have been blessed to be able to witness 2 church dedications and 1 church rededication (maybe I did witness the 1st dedication of the TK Church but I was too young to remember).

We read how Solomon dedicated the temple to God and marvel at the pomp, the sacrifices, the offerings and the honour that the people accorded to this occassion and building.

And as I read 2 Chronicles 6:18, I could not help wondering… have I ever been tempted to think of a church building as either more or less important than it really is?

“But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!”

Reading Solomon’s prayer of dedication helps me gain a proper perspectibe on how to view the church as a house of worship.

On one hand, Solomon’s temple was just a building.  Ok… not just an ordinary building.  It was probably the most remarkable building at that time - but the fact was - it’s just a building.  It could not possibly contain the Lord (2 Chron 6:18).  On the other hand, it was a site which God had chosen to bless with His presence (2 Chron 6:6).  Thus the temple became a place where God’s eyes look upon, where the name of the Lord is and where prayers are heard (2 Chron 6:20) - this is where God is.

By the time of Jesus, however, some treated the temple as more than just a building.

In 2 Chronicles 6:32-33, Solomon indicated that the temple was dedicated as a house of prayer for all nations - including those “who is not of Your People”.  But during Jesus time, the Gentiles were restricted to an outer court, called the Court of the Gentiles.  The Gentiles were not allowed into the inner courts and hence - excluded from prayers in the temple.

On the other hand, some treated the temple as less than a house of prayer.  Jesus strongly criticized the money changers for turning the site into a “den of thieves” (Mark 11:17), and He rebuked the Pharisees for their lack of respect for what the temple means (Matt 23:15-22).

It helps us to keep these in mind when we think about the significance of the church building.  Like the temple, no church structure can sole claim to being the house of God.  At the same time, church buildins and what goes on in them are intended to point to God.

So how we treat these sanctuaries in many ways reveals our attitude towards God.

Think about it… how do we handle and use church property?  Do we teach our children to respect God’s things?

Hear From Heaven… I Will Hear…

In Solomon’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 6, we read this phrase over and over again…

“…Hear from Heaven…”

Go on… mark those parts in your Bible and see how many times did Solomon say it.

Indeed, in the current climate or moral and spiritual chaos, it seems that every prayer we make now is a plea to God to “hear from heaven” for we are in desperate need of God’s intervention.

When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,  if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.

2 Chronicles 7:13-15

Solomon prayed that in times of drought, locusts and pestilence, God will hear from heaven.

These disasters often come because the people had chosen to disobey God and commit evil.  And that is when we need the mercy of God.

For us today we may not meet what the Israelites faced, but our challenges are just as life threatening - spiritually and physically.

Someone has well said that the grace of God is free, but it is not cheap; it costs.

The grace of God cost Jesus the agony of death on a cross, and it costs those who wish to receive God’s forgiveness the price of repentance, or turning away from sin.

If you read 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 again, you will see to God, forgiveness follows repentance.

And repentance is not merely saying “I am sorry”.  Neither is it accomplished by tears and a sad countenance.

True repentance means turning away from wicked ways - from thoughts and acts that displeases God - and turning towards a life that reflects godly ways.

True repentance requires humility in prayer and seeking God’s face.

God cannot bless evil and will not reward those who practice it.  To do so would violate His very nature.

So if we want His blessing, we must honour His character by pursuing His ways.  “Be holy,” He urges us, “for I am holy” (Lev 11:44; 1 Pet 1:15-16).

Then God will say…

“I will hear”

“I will forgive their sin”

“I will heal their land”

Lord Hear Us from Heaven….