Today’s reading: 2 Chronicles 5:2-7:22
My selection: II Chronicles 5:11-14
And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves, without regard to their divisions, 12 and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; 13 and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,
“ For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,”
the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
My reflections: The temple was completed according to plan. The temple personnel were appointed, including priests and musicians. When the priests came out of the Holy Place, the trumpeters and singers lifted up the music of praise and thanksgiving to God in unison. The house of the Lord was filled with a cloud and the priests could not minister because of the cloud which was the glory of the Lord.
As a minister, I know that, all too frequently, the sense of the glory and presence of God is not felt by pastors much less by congregants. Sunday morning worship is business as usual. We rush into His presence as if it were the supermarket where we have come to make a commercial transaction in the shortest amount of time and speed off on our way.
Oh, that God would so visit His people that they could do nothing but fall in worship before Him!
My challenge: Be more diligent in preparing to worship God this coming Lord’s Day. Pray that God will give His ministers and His people a great sense of awe in God’s presence and an overwhelming awareness of His glory filling the churches where they serve and worship. Maybe God will shut down the ministry-as-usual for a day.
Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Chronicles 8:1-11:17
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