1 Kings 8
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1 Kings 8:10-13, When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple. Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”
This is a very theologically significant chapter so if you didn’t get a chance to read the whole narrative, I would encourage you to do so now. We see God’s promise to Abraham, Moses, and David fulfilled with the dedication of the temple. We see the normal pomp and circumstance of a religious building dedication but there is also the amazing presence of God, Solomon’s genuine prayers, and words of both encouragement and warning.
The focus verses today refer to the presence of God filling the Holy Place in the newly built temple. The priests couldn’t finish their service because the glory of God was so powerful.
Obviously, we don’t experience God’s glory in the form of a cloud (I guess we could but I personally haven’t.) We do experience the powerful glory of God in other ways. Because of the Holy Spirit, we can be assured that God’s presence is always with us, closer than our very breath. In fact, there is no place we can go where God’s presence is not. That being said, there are specific times in our lives in which we experience God’s glory and presence in very real ways. These are times in which God’s beauty, grace, and manifold goodness show up in undeniable ways and we know, “Wow, I’ve just experienced God.”
I have experienced God’s glory in various ways. There are some times in which I’m sure God is showing up but I’m simply not paying attention. Other times, it is unmistakable – an answered prayer, a healing, a spiritual conversation or prayer with a stranger, special time with loved ones, a powerful worship service in which God’s Spirit is almost palpable, hearing God’s still-small voice, or even in the beauty of nature. When did you last experience God’s glory? Share this with someone today!
Let’s pray…Lord, We seek you. Show us your glory. Help us be aware of you in our lives. In Your Name, Amen.