God’s Dwelling Place
1 Kings 8:6, 10-13 (NLT)
6 Then the priests carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple—the Most Holy Place—and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim.
10 When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. 11 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of the Lord.
12 Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. 13 Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”
Reflection
In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant housed God’s presence. The Levites carried the Ark wherever the Israelites travelled to ensure the Lord was always with them. Eventually, King Solomon built God a temple in Jerusalem. The temple allowed for the people to offer sacrifices and worship the Lord in one location. The Ark was placed in the innermost room known as the Most Holy Place, and God’s Spirit inhabited this space. No one was allowed into the Most Holy Place except the high priest once a year to offer a sin offering for the people of Israel.
God was holy, and man was not. But God desired a more intimate relationship with humanity. The solution was for God to become man in Jesus, live a sinless life, die for us on the cross, and be resurrected on the third day. Once Jesus’ death occurred, the veil in the Most Holy Place tore, and God’s Spirit was no longer separated from man.
Today, we who have accepted Jesus have full access to His Spirit. In John 14:26 Jesus says, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” When we are struggling and need help, God will be there for us because His Holy Spirit lives within us. He guarantees He will never leave us on our own.
The Holy Spirit dwelling in us is an amazing truth, but if we never access Him, we miss out. God wants to be an active part of our lives. I know for me, I can be so self-focused at times that I make decisions without even praying first. But if I pause and take time to talk with God and then listen, I begin to see His plans for my life.
Take time today to ask God what He wants for you. The more you seek His presence, the more you learn what God wants for you, and your decisions become Kingdom-led.
Action Steps
God wants us to grow deeper in our relationship with Him. He is always pursuing us, no matter where we are in our walk. Take time today to recognize God and His power. Thank Him for who He is and how that relates to us.
If you have never asked for His Spirit to guide your life, ask Him now. He is generous and gracious, always wanting a closer relationship with His creation!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Spirit in my life. I ask that You continue to show me what You want me to do in situations that may not be so clear. Reveal Your truth to me in a new way! Guide me from harm, remind me of Your Word, forgive me of my sin, and use me to make an impact for generations to come. In Your Mighty Name, amen.
6 Then the priests carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple—the Most Holy Place—and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim.
10 When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. 11 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of the Lord.
12 Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. 13 Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”
Reflection
In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant housed God’s presence. The Levites carried the Ark wherever the Israelites travelled to ensure the Lord was always with them. Eventually, King Solomon built God a temple in Jerusalem. The temple allowed for the people to offer sacrifices and worship the Lord in one location. The Ark was placed in the innermost room known as the Most Holy Place, and God’s Spirit inhabited this space. No one was allowed into the Most Holy Place except the high priest once a year to offer a sin offering for the people of Israel.
God was holy, and man was not. But God desired a more intimate relationship with humanity. The solution was for God to become man in Jesus, live a sinless life, die for us on the cross, and be resurrected on the third day. Once Jesus’ death occurred, the veil in the Most Holy Place tore, and God’s Spirit was no longer separated from man.
Today, we who have accepted Jesus have full access to His Spirit. In John 14:26 Jesus says, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” When we are struggling and need help, God will be there for us because His Holy Spirit lives within us. He guarantees He will never leave us on our own.
The Holy Spirit dwelling in us is an amazing truth, but if we never access Him, we miss out. God wants to be an active part of our lives. I know for me, I can be so self-focused at times that I make decisions without even praying first. But if I pause and take time to talk with God and then listen, I begin to see His plans for my life.
Take time today to ask God what He wants for you. The more you seek His presence, the more you learn what God wants for you, and your decisions become Kingdom-led.
Action Steps
God wants us to grow deeper in our relationship with Him. He is always pursuing us, no matter where we are in our walk. Take time today to recognize God and His power. Thank Him for who He is and how that relates to us.
If you have never asked for His Spirit to guide your life, ask Him now. He is generous and gracious, always wanting a closer relationship with His creation!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Spirit in my life. I ask that You continue to show me what You want me to do in situations that may not be so clear. Reveal Your truth to me in a new way! Guide me from harm, remind me of Your Word, forgive me of my sin, and use me to make an impact for generations to come. In Your Mighty Name, amen.
Posted in Tree Church Daily Devo
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