2 Chronicles 7: 11-14
God told Solomon the people—His people should pray. Webster’s New World Dictionary shows two meanings for this word. 1) an act of talking to God in worship. And 2) to beg or ask for something seriously. (The second definition is usually thought of as a legal definition.)
We have times when the only person who can remedy a condition is our heavenly Father. He listens without judging as we present our requests. When the needs seem greater, He allows us to fervently lift them—our own as well as others—to Him.
Our God extends this privilege out of His grace and mercy. He created us and wants those who believe in Him to come to the throne and lay their cares down, leaving them with Him.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Seeking His Face
2 Chronicles 7:11-14
As God spoke to Solomon after the completion of the temple, The Lord gave certain guidelines or conditions for His people to follow when they would find themselves up against harsh times. One of these was to ‘seek my face.’ Let’s explore this idea and see where it leads.
As children, a generation of us whiled away summer evenings playing Hide and Seek. Those living in my neighborhood stayed outside every night until we could no longer see while playing it. One person,called “it”, would cover their eyes and count slowly to one hundred. The rest of the kids would scamper away, looking for a place to hide. As I remember, the person found last would be “it” for the next round.
As children of God, when we pray we have to search for His face. Our needs can seem so great we have to concentrate on who He is and His attributes before we begin to lay our requests before Him. Given the economic picture of our world–bank crises, insurance companies' messes, the automotive industry situation and our personal issues–health concerns, family situations, relational circumstances, these are times we should pray before we make decisions. But we might want to think on who God is and what He is like before we open our hearts.
As God spoke to Solomon after the completion of the temple, The Lord gave certain guidelines or conditions for His people to follow when they would find themselves up against harsh times. One of these was to ‘seek my face.’ Let’s explore this idea and see where it leads.
As children, a generation of us whiled away summer evenings playing Hide and Seek. Those living in my neighborhood stayed outside every night until we could no longer see while playing it. One person,called “it”, would cover their eyes and count slowly to one hundred. The rest of the kids would scamper away, looking for a place to hide. As I remember, the person found last would be “it” for the next round.
As children of God, when we pray we have to search for His face. Our needs can seem so great we have to concentrate on who He is and His attributes before we begin to lay our requests before Him. Given the economic picture of our world–bank crises, insurance companies' messes, the automotive industry situation and our personal issues–health concerns, family situations, relational circumstances, these are times we should pray before we make decisions. But we might want to think on who God is and what He is like before we open our hearts.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Humbling Ourselves
2 Chronicles 7: 11-14
When Solomon completed the temple, God spoke to him. He told his servant of times of hardship and drought- a precursor to famine. The Lord also told of the possibility of locusts or plagues coming onto the land. But, He also told Solomon and, by extension, us how the land can be healed.
The first point God makes is that he is talking about His children, not the heathen or the vile people of the neighboring areas. If my people, who are called by my name. . .. Can it get any clearer?
He then lays out conditions for His people to follow. First we have to humble ourselves. What does that mean to us today?
Can we remember, as children, looking up at our dads or even our uncles and thinking ’‘He's the biggest (tallest) person I know’? When we compared ourselves to that man, we felt very small. When we approach God we need to realize that we are puny, powerless creatures. We need to tell Him we can do nothing without His guidance, direction, or help. While He knows this, we have to acknowledge and accept our helplessness.
Also, we have to recognize we are not to play ‘one-up-man-ship’ with our fellow human beings. We all face hardships, hurts, trials, and tribulations in our lives. No one is exempt from these travails. We have hard times enter our lives because we are human. Also, they manifest themselves because we live in a fallen world. Sometimes, we have made bad choices.
In the act of humbling ourselves, we see our place in the scheme of things. We also see who God is. It is through this process that we grow spiritually.
When Solomon completed the temple, God spoke to him. He told his servant of times of hardship and drought- a precursor to famine. The Lord also told of the possibility of locusts or plagues coming onto the land. But, He also told Solomon and, by extension, us how the land can be healed.
The first point God makes is that he is talking about His children, not the heathen or the vile people of the neighboring areas. If my people, who are called by my name. . .. Can it get any clearer?
He then lays out conditions for His people to follow. First we have to humble ourselves. What does that mean to us today?
Can we remember, as children, looking up at our dads or even our uncles and thinking ’‘He's the biggest (tallest) person I know’? When we compared ourselves to that man, we felt very small. When we approach God we need to realize that we are puny, powerless creatures. We need to tell Him we can do nothing without His guidance, direction, or help. While He knows this, we have to acknowledge and accept our helplessness.
Also, we have to recognize we are not to play ‘one-up-man-ship’ with our fellow human beings. We all face hardships, hurts, trials, and tribulations in our lives. No one is exempt from these travails. We have hard times enter our lives because we are human. Also, they manifest themselves because we live in a fallen world. Sometimes, we have made bad choices.
In the act of humbling ourselves, we see our place in the scheme of things. We also see who God is. It is through this process that we grow spiritually.
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