1 and 2 Chronicles Day 3

Sorry I didn't get yesterday's lesson out! I hope you read ahead in Chronicles.

Today we are reading 1 Chronicles 28 and 2 Chronicles 6-7

Today's Devotion: 2 Chronicles 7:13-16

13 "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

This is God's second physical visit with Solomon. I love the way God repeats Solomon's words as verification that He heard Solomon's prayer. He promises to keep His eyes and ears open to each prayer offered in the temple.

In the New Testament, God greatly expands our view of the temple. It is no longer a place to visit -- in John 2:21 Jesus refers to his body as the temple of God. And then Paul expands this view again in 1 Cor 6:19-20.

19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (NIV)

God himself has crafted our bodies to be temples for the presence of his Holy Spirit! In the same way, His eyes are open and His ears are attentive to the prayers we speak (or even just think). We don't have to go to a special place or follow rules so our prayers are heard. He hears the quick prayer as someone cuts us off (you DO pray when that happens, right?), our heart-felt pleas for help and healing, and even our silent cries when we aren't even sure how to pray. By residing in the temples of our bodies, he knows our needs before we can put them into words.

What's even more amazing, He WANTS to hear from us! Even though he knows what we need and want, He wants us to spend time with Him. Like any good parent, He wants us to talk through our day, discuss our joys and fears, and to voice our concerns and desires. Don't miss your time with Him today!