Thursday, March 3: 2Chronicles 5- The presence of God

Construction complete, furnishings installed, now all that remained was to move the ark of God (the footstool for the Almighty here on earth) into the Temple. Following the prescriptions of the Law, the ark is brought into the Temple’s Holy of Holies amidst great joy, celebration and animal sacrifices. This was a day of pageantry and humble worship to the Lord.

And the Lord honors the faith of His people with a manifestation of His presence. The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God (13-14).

Ahh, the mighty, tangible presence of God… I have experienced it. Not as a cloud as happened that day when the ark entered the Temple but in other ways. I have felt the weight of God’s glory in worship, when all we could do as a people was sit or kneel in silence. I have been in a meeting when a divided group prayed and through our corporate prayer God provided a unanimous decision. I have been in prayer when God gave a word, an insight, that opened a flow of inner healing that is beyond words to describe. I have experienced the mighty, tangible presence of God.

Today in 2011, the doorway to the presence of God is not the doors of a Temple in Jerusalem, it is faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Have you said “yes” to Jesus? Have you acknowledged Jesus to be God and the Lord and ruler of your life? Have you asked Jesus for forgiveness of your sins and the gift of God’s Holy Spirit within your life? If you haven’t, I pray you do today, without delay.

Lord Jesus, I believe You are God almighty and I submit my life to Your leadership…Your ‘Godship.’ Lead and guide me, direct my path, forgive my sins and show me how to live such that my life honors You. Jesus, I ask this in Your name. Amen.