When God Shows Up
My outdoor work day on Saturday made me more tired than I expected. I slept well last 
night and needed a nap after coming home from church today. We are enjoying another beautiful day, just a little windy. I will get back to more of a normal routine this next week, as I continue to focus on some of my yard work.
Last weekend when we were in Atlanta, grandson Mason wanted to try on grandpa’s glasses and McKenzie was trying out my shoes. Neither one of them fit, but made for “cute pictures.”
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “When King Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifices that had been offered, and the dazzling light of the Lord‘s presence filled the Temple. Because the Temple was full of the dazzling light, the priests could not enter it. When the people of Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the light fill the Temple, they fell face downward on the pavement, worshiping God and praising him for his goodness and his eternal love.” 2 Chronicles 7:1-3
As Solomon dedicated the Temple in prayer, he focuses on the “promise keeping God.” He declared how the Lord made and kept His promise to David about the Temple and his son Solomon beginning a family dynasty that would never end.
Solomon recognized that the “God of Creation” could not be contained in a building, but it would be a symbol of God’s majesty and power. When Solomon finished His prayer, God showed up. He did so in a way that has never been experienced since the Children of Israel saw His glory over Mount Sinai. Fire consumes the sacrifice and the brilliance of God’s glory fills the temple; the priests could not enter and the people bowed in worship to the Lord.
When I look at this picture, I think of the Biblical declaration that “God is light.” (1 John 1:5) That God dwells in “unapproachable light.” (1 Timothy 6:16)
When we are faced with the glory of God, only one response is appropriate. The people fell on their faces and worshiped the Lord. Often times we will say or think, “when I get to heaven I want to ask God or I want God to explain____________.” When I look at these verses and the description in Revelation, I think there will be no asking and lot of falling on faces and worship.
But we can’t overlook the worship response to the brilliance of God’s glory. You would think the natural response would be that which we see in Revelation, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty!” (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8) Perhaps that happened but what is recorded is that the people were “praising him for his goodness and his eternal love.” I believe it is notable that a God who demonstrates that much power is worshiped for His goodness and love. Those are the character qualities through which God primarily deals with His people.:
Finally when I look at Solomon’s prayer, I think of Jesus words as He cleared the Temple courts during His ministry and declared, “my House shall be a House of Prayer for all nations.” (Matthew 21:13; Isaiah 56:7)
During Solomon’s prayer, he focused on God answering the prayers of people who pray toward the Temple. He mentions when, “people are accused of wronging others….when your people are defeated by enemies because they sinned…when you hold back rain, because of sin…when there is a famine of epidemic in the land… listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple…. hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven and forgive them.” (2 Chronicles 6:22-31)
He continues and includes all people, “When foreigners who live in a distant land hear how great and powerful you are and how you are always ready to act, and then they come to pray at this Temple, listen to their prayers…” (2 Chronicles 6:32-34)
When Solomon finished praying about people praying to the Lord and seeking Him, He show up! And we can be confident today that when submit our lives to the Lord and seeking Him, He will show up! It won’t be with fire and the brilliance of His appearing, but He will hear and answer prayer and make Himself known.