Friday, December 09, 2005
My Neighborhood
II Chronicles 6:18-21
"Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn't large enought to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I've built. Even so, I'm bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O GOD. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I'm setting before you right now. Keep your eyes open to this Temple day and night, this place you promised to dignify with your Name. And listen to the prayers that I pray in this place. And listen to your people Israel when they pray at this place. "
The house next to ours is for sale. Wouldn't it be cool if God himself moved into our neighborhood? Especially right next door!
That's not going to happen. He's too big for that house; He'd never fit.
It seems like the Israelites felt this way after building a temple, then expecting the God of the universe to move in. But God promised to dignify this place with His name. So they expected Him because He said He'd be there. It's not so precocious after all. So He shows up at the temple becuase it's His.
I think it sounds pretentious to expect God to show up where I am all the time. At the grocery store, cleaning the dog puke off the couch, where I work...
It actually is pretentious to think HE would be concerned with the trivialities of my routines! Why would He! Yet He does show up again and again. Because I'm His. I think that's amazing. ¶ 11:12 AM
"Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn't large enought to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I've built. Even so, I'm bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O GOD. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I'm setting before you right now. Keep your eyes open to this Temple day and night, this place you promised to dignify with your Name. And listen to the prayers that I pray in this place. And listen to your people Israel when they pray at this place. "
The house next to ours is for sale. Wouldn't it be cool if God himself moved into our neighborhood? Especially right next door!
That's not going to happen. He's too big for that house; He'd never fit.
It seems like the Israelites felt this way after building a temple, then expecting the God of the universe to move in. But God promised to dignify this place with His name. So they expected Him because He said He'd be there. It's not so precocious after all. So He shows up at the temple becuase it's His.
I think it sounds pretentious to expect God to show up where I am all the time. At the grocery store, cleaning the dog puke off the couch, where I work...
It actually is pretentious to think HE would be concerned with the trivialities of my routines! Why would He! Yet He does show up again and again. Because I'm His. I think that's amazing. ¶ 11:12 AM
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Thanks for stopping Doug.
And thanks for the thoughts on your blog. I've been challenged to think through the passages differently too.
And thanks for the thoughts on your blog. I've been challenged to think through the passages differently too.
Absolutely amazing. You'd think after all these years I'd stop being so amazed when God shows up. But I continue to be blown away by the fact that He really is with me always and cares about even the petty details of my life.
Amazing and inspiring. Thanks for the reminder. Maybe my tongue will be better remembering that He is always listening!
Hey again Julie! Here is the answer to your comment on my post:
Julie~ Of course I remember. That was our first meeting with that mischievious Sprite, Puck! How he thought it so amusing that we couldn't catch him with our stubby legs. Hmmph! Luck we found the Pixie when we got home. He had been burnt by Puck too and lent us some Pixie dust to get back to normal. But I still have side-effects. I see Fairies in the strangest places, don't you?
Julie~ Of course I remember. That was our first meeting with that mischievious Sprite, Puck! How he thought it so amusing that we couldn't catch him with our stubby legs. Hmmph! Luck we found the Pixie when we got home. He had been burnt by Puck too and lent us some Pixie dust to get back to normal. But I still have side-effects. I see Fairies in the strangest places, don't you?
Julie - isn't it true! My pre-Christian days were spent considering the "if I were God..." reasoning. It goes like this... "If I were God, I would not bother with all the complaints and problems of the world, I would just fix them. And I most certainly would not care about some inferior little fleas worshiping me." But what I was missing was the biggest piece of the puzzle: Love. God loves us so much that He *doesn't* mess around with our destiny in ways that prevent us from growth. But the biggest fact about God that has taken the longest to realize is that God is always there. Whether God acts on our behalf is the same as considering when a parent steps in to help a struggling child who really needs help to get to the next step, but would otherwise be better off learning for themselves. It is when I am the most weak that I become the most aware of God's ever-presence in my life.
Chris,
I still catch myself thinking,"if I was God,....." I'd eliminate mosquitos, heal Brandon, fix my neighbor ...
You're so right! That's childish thinking.
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I still catch myself thinking,"if I was God,....." I'd eliminate mosquitos, heal Brandon, fix my neighbor ...
You're so right! That's childish thinking.
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