We Can Only Respond With Worship
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it.
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "He is good; His love endures forever."
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty-two thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God.
2 Chronicles 7:1-5
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "He is good; His love endures forever."
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty-two thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God.
2 Chronicles 7:1-5
The temple had been completed and King Solomon and all Israel were about to dedicate it. As part of the dedication, Solomon offered a very lengthy prayer, imploring God to hear the cries of His children when they prayed toward the temple: "May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night. . . Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven . . . and when you hear, forgive.
. . . When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your Name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance." 2 Chronicles 6:20-27 (NIV, NLT)
God heard the prayers of Solomon and responded by causing fire to come down from heaven to consume the sacrifice and fill the temple with His glory. The priests could not enter the temple because the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The only worthy response to that overwhelming divine Presence was for people to kneel on the pavement with their faces to the ground in worship. How else could they have responded? The awesome Presence of the Almighty God should cause us to respond in total worship. It should cause us to fall prostrate before Him.
May we understand the privilege of being in God's Presence. May we understand that our times of prayer are times before the throne of the Almighty God. May we be conscious of the need to reverence God at all times for He is worthy of our praise.
. . . When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your Name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance." 2 Chronicles 6:20-27 (NIV, NLT)
God heard the prayers of Solomon and responded by causing fire to come down from heaven to consume the sacrifice and fill the temple with His glory. The priests could not enter the temple because the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The only worthy response to that overwhelming divine Presence was for people to kneel on the pavement with their faces to the ground in worship. How else could they have responded? The awesome Presence of the Almighty God should cause us to respond in total worship. It should cause us to fall prostrate before Him.
May we understand the privilege of being in God's Presence. May we understand that our times of prayer are times before the throne of the Almighty God. May we be conscious of the need to reverence God at all times for He is worthy of our praise.
Prayer: Father, I thank you for the privilege of being able to come boldly before your throne of grace because Jesus sacrificed His life for me. Please help me to live a life of worship. Help me to present myself to you as a living sacrifice. Help me to reverence you in all I do. Amen