praise

Humiliating Worship

by ladypbwiggins

This morning I woke up with King Solomon’s Temple dedication on my mind. It is clear from God’s response that the celebration was acceptable but what made it so?

Solomon made sure the Temple was built according to the specifications given to David. All the previous materials and workmanship were the best of the best. The priest consecrated themselves in preparation to go into that holy place. The priest, the people, and the King made sacrifices, too many to count. There was music and singing and praising the LORD. The LORD was the guest of honor and they made sure He knew that He was welcome.

Solomon stood on a scaffold to address the people. He could have said, “Look at what I’ve built. Look how grand I’ve made it. Instead he recounted the promises made to David by the LORD. He said the LORD had built the Temple and kept His word by making it His home. He viewed himself as an unworthy servant. Then he turned toward the Presence and laid prostrate. The people bowed low with their faces on the pavement. To an outsider this could appear very bazaar and humiliating. Seeing the mighty Solomon in such a public display. The priests should surely do this but the King? Solomon cared more about loving his God and being an example to his people than appearances. Can you imagine that day? All that singing and celebrating with a whole nation lying down before their God. Their God was worthy of all that and more. Oh that we would worship with such abandonment. That we would come before our God with one consecrated voice and lay ourselves low before Him. As a result God’s Presence overwhelmingly filled the Temple. Just thinking about experiencing that takes my breath. I have felt His Presence before which was overwhelming to me but nothing like that. I’ve wanted it and now I see I am the cause of not having it. I have work to do on my Temple and my worship. One of my spiritual sisters, Sharon, said to me today that we have strayed from graciousness to self-entitlement.

We say we know we don’t deserve His Presence, His blessings, His grace yet that is exactly how we behave. Yes we are The King’s children but we are priest(esses), servants as well. Servants bow down in complete abandonment. Let’s worship like Solomon did.

God’s Response To King Solomon’s Prayer

by ladypbwiggins

2 Chronicles 7:12 (NKJV)
12  Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.

After all the people had gone home, Jehovah appeared to Solomon in the night to speak to him one on one. The very first thing Jehovah said to Solomon was I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place. Basically, He said, Son you have done well and everything including your worship I have found pleasing. If that wasn’t enough he was about to find out what Jehovah’s decision was for each request.

Just as Solomon presented his request with “if-then” clauses, Jehovah responded. However, when I checked the Hebrew for “if” I discovered the word could also be translated “when.” Some Bible translations have that. This made an impact on me because in my world, “if” is a maybe and “when” is a certainty. For all of you who have been taught that Jehovah does not cause bad things to happen, read this section of scripture. This will clear up any confusion you might have.

2 Chronicles 7:13 (NKJV)
13  When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,

Notice Jehovah is saying when these things happen, He causes or commands it. He continues the statement with the scripture of my focus

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
14  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.

I will try to quickly go through the chosen key words to explain why I think there is so much more than I usually think about. The study aids I used were Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, The Complete Word Study Old Testament-Zodhiates, and New Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies

Called – to be called by the name of a person denotes the standing in a peculiar relation to him or being his property, his people, city etc.

Name- 1. The name is supposed to correspond to the nature of a person or thing; or express some qualities or circumstances relating to them 2. to act in a person’s name is to act by his commission or authority; 3. to call by name is to single our and appoint a person for any work, is eminently qualified for it, or as the object of special favor.

Humble – to bend the knee; hence to humiliate oneself

Seek – to search out that which is uncertain and doubtful, with the desire of obtaining, and with care and attention

Face – the part that turns; a face or surface. This Hebrew word is also translated Presence, or Present

I substituted these definitions and the scripture reads

If My people, who cry out and express my nature, qualities and authority in their behavior would bow down to humiliate themselves before me, to search out the uncertain with a careful attentive desire to obtain my Presence, and pray, turn away from their evil ways, then from heaven I will hear them, I will forgive them and heal their land.

So the questions I had to answer for myself were

1. Do I reflect His nature, qualities, and authority in my behavior? I call myself by His Name.

2. Do I bow down truly with an attitude of humiliation or entitlement because I am His?

3. Do I truly search out His Presence, His Presence when I pray? Do I give that careful attention?

4. Have I turned from my evil ways or am I holding on to a few favorites just in case I need to handle someone?

He heard Solomon’s prayer because he did all these things. He then told him that if the people did this He would hear them. Can I then conclude that He will do the same for me?

Jehovah concludes His response with the statement that His eyes were open and ears attentive to the prayers made in that place. I know He was referring to the Temple but the principle and promises do not change. I believe just as He wrote the law on our hearts(minds), I believe the Temple refers to us in that the Holy Spirit resides in those who are called by His Name.

King Solomon’s Prayer

by ladypbwiggins

II Chronicles 6

King Solomon stands on the scaffold in the midst of the Temple court yard. He kneels, spreads his hands toward heaven and prayed. Was it a prayer of praise? Did he make requests?

First, he acknowledged his God. That He was like none other: a covenant keeper and merciful to His servants who walked before Him in obedience with all their heart. He acknowledged that God kept His promise that He made to David.

Second, he asked God to verify this promise. That He would dwell among His people on earth. He ask for this verification because he knew nothing man-made could contain the Presence of God.

Next, he asked God to listen to the prayers and supplications made by him (Solomon) and the people in and toward the House of God. He asked that he hear them and forgive them if they repent. King Solomon listed all the offences he could think of that Israel could committ against each other and against God. He covered captivity, no rain, pestilence, famine, locusts or plagues because these are things God used to punish Israel when they sinned against him in the past. He asked God to forgive Israel of each offence if they truly repented, confessed and turned from their sin. Solomon was wise enough to know, some would give lip service. He asked God to hear and judge them ” according to their ways whose hearts you know.”

Now this is the part I really like. Up to this point it is about the behavior of the children of Israel. Verse 33 makes the prayer inclusive to non-Israelites. Regarding the foreigner who is not of Israel but has come because of your great name and pray, hear him. Why? So that all peoples of the earth may know your name and worship you as Israel does. And that they may know this house is called by Your Name. That includes people like me in the prayer if I fulfill the conditions. Solomon completes the prayer with asking God “to come to His resting place, You and the Ark of your strength and power. Let your priests be clothe with salvation and let your godly ones rejoice in your goodness. O Lord God, do not turn away and reject the face of your anointed; remember Your lovingkindness and faithfulness to Your servant David.”

When Solomon finished praying, the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the House. There was such power in His Presence that the priests could not enter God’s House. When the people witnessed this, they bowed with their faces to the ground and worshipped (prostrate) and praised with outstretched hands. The King and all the people offered sacrifices, burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings. There was so much that he had to use the scaffold on which he had been standing for the sacrifices because the brazen altar was not able to accommodate it all. Then they feasted for seven days.

2 Chronicles 7:10 (NKJV)
10  On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the LORD had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel.

In my minds eye, I see the multitudes going home recounting all that had transpired. The House of God in its magnificence was completed. The Presence of God was evident and they were witnesses to His coming. They watched their King humble himself before the Lord and them. He is one of us, they might have said. My western sensibilities would have been acutely aware of the smell of slaughtered and burnt animals that were sacrificed. Solomon on the other hand, I imagine, stood in the courtyard and watched the people leave. Then his attention turned to the House of God and His Presence. Oh how awe-some the feeling must have been.

Then God appeared.

TODAY, the Best Day❣

by ladypbwiggins

Today is workday. I am finally organizing my office/sewing center/guess room. I am setting up to continue my self-care. I’ll explain in my next post. My soil is blacker now. So many nutrients were added to it these last two weeks.

TODAY is the BEST day of my life🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

God is leaning in my direction❣