May 12 - 2 Chronicles 6-8: Listen From Your Home in Heaven

King Solomon kneels in front of all of Israel, stretches out his hands to heaven, and prays a bold prayer dedicating the Temple to his God.

I wonder if Solomon fully realized how much forgiveness both he and his people would need from God. He asks God to forgive - a lot. In fact, many of his examples in this prayer of dedication read like they're straight from the books of 1 and 2 Kings, as though Solomon knew what would happen in the future.

God must have approved of Solomon's bold prayers because immediately following the prayer, lightning burned up the sacrifices and God filled The Temple with His Glory. (7:1) What an amazing sight that must have been!

God also responded directly to Solomon that same night, saying:

"I accept your prayer; yes I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship. If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health. From now on I'm alert day and night to the prayers offered at this place." (7:12-15)

God promises Solomon that He listens to the prayers of His people in The Temple, that He listens from His home in heaven. And because I am now God's temple (2 Cor 6:16), I know that He hears me too. (For years I wondered if God was actually listening to anything I was saying to Him...)

In these instructions to Solomon, God also tells His people what to do when things aren't going well in their land. I find these instructions very helpful given the culture and times we live in today. Rather than feel like a helpless victim, or complain about the state of our country, or cocoon myself in an exclusive Christian community, God tells me, as a believer, I am to:

• Humble myself --> not think I'm superior to others, recognizing that I sin as well
• Pray and seek His presence --> spend plenty of time with God, making an intimate relationship with Him my priority
• Turn my back on my wicked life --> confess and turn away from the sin in my life, not just disparage everyone else's sin

And as I struggle to fully obey God in this - boldly praying and humbly repenting of my sin - I take heart from Hebrews 4:14-16.

Now that we know what we have - Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God - let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

It means that I need to take God at His word and gratefully receive the help He's offering to me. If I will only humble myself and ask, He's listening from His home in heaven. What a relief!