Back in the prayer room. It is currently 1:13 in the AM. Don’t worry, there are 2 other people in here… I’m not breaking the prayer chain by writing now. My “shift” doesn’t technically start until 3 so I’ve got a few hours and since this week has had zero free time, I thought I’d get some blogging done during this time.
I’m amazed at how worn in and familiar this place feels, and we just set it up. But it’s like an outside reflection of the place I’ve asked the Lord to dwell in my soul, in my heart. I suppose it should feel pretty familiar. In the last couple of days, I was trying to meditate on Scripture that I felt God might be trying to speak to me with pertaining to this week. Immediately this passage jumped off the page at me:
But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place.
2 Chronicles 6:18-20
I love this. I cannot even explain how much I love this. Solomon is dedicating this temple that he has built with the wealth that God has provided him. He has declared that “ The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods ” in chapter 2, verse 5. He acknowledges at that point that he is no one to build a worthy house for the Lord, only as a place to bring their offerings before Him.
That is what this place is. A place to bring our offering. And all we have to offer is our hearts. It’s all we have, and so conveniently all we need. The sacrifices of our God are our spirits- broken. Our hearts- open.
I think the prayer for this house that is dedicated to God is absolutely beautiful. What a bold and honest request. It is the one I’ve been praying for the place we’re asking God to dwell in now. That He would listen to the cries and prayers of His servants, that His eyes would be open toward this room, day and night. That He would have open ears to our requests and petitioning on behalf of His people, His children who don’t even know they’re His yet, and His children that do. That He would hear our pleas to build up the Body on this campus. And all of that, knowing that this house cannot even contain Him. We are here to intercede for the voiceless and hardened hearts, and only because Jesus first interceded for us. He was our voice first.
This room is our temple for every second of the next 7 days. And we, His dear and beloved children, can come together to seek His Spirit’s counsel. Together. In a place that is specifically dedicated for the sacrifice of our open and moldable hearts. If any of you reading have not experienced this on your campus or in your community, I deeply encourage you to give it a whirl. God does not ignore the requests of His servants. I cannot tell you what that looks like, but I can tell you that the Lord is faithful.
Well I will leave you with a little Isaiah. Brothers and sisters, I have been so wonderfully encouraged. And I pray that my encouragement encourages you.
“These I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” - Isaiah 56:7,8
P.S. Countdown to l’Afrique: 27 days
P.P.S. – it is now 2:36. Can you tell I got distracted? Story of my life.
P.P.P.S. – there’s no internet in this place. Not guaranteed to remember to post this tomorrow.
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