THE FAST - Day 2
Monday, January 8
A Temple Worthy of His Presence
1 Kings 7:13-14 (NKJV)
“Now King Solomon sent and brought Huram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work.”
Devotion
Huram was chosen to help build the temple because of the wisdom, understanding, and knowledge he had in bronze work passed down to him by his father. The temple was a place of prayer. Its construction was a work of love and worship towards God, and the pillars designed by Huram were captivating.
King Solomon spared no expense. It took seven years to build the temple. Further in the chapter, we learn that the ornate pillars cast in bronze and covered in gold even had a hidden part that could only be seen by God looking down from heaven.
1 Corinthians 6:19 says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” As we go into the Fast let us ask ourselves how we can apply wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in presenting God with a temple worthy of His presence.
We don’t have to adorn ourselves in ornate clothing or jewelry. God is not looking for something outward. He is looking for the hidden things of the heart. As we allow Him to search our hearts, let us look for wisdom and understanding in His word to make sure that there is no offensive thing in us but that we are pleasing in His sight. Let our temple also be a place of prayer, of constant communication with God. May the hidden things in us that God only sees be pleasing to Him.
Today’s Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank You that in Jesus I am a temple of Your Holy Spirit. Help me not to conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. Help me to offer my body to You, a living sacrifice, in a pleasing act of spiritual worship. Show me Your will for this year. Open my eyes to the things I still do and say and think that is displeasing to You. Open my eyes to the things You want me to do, to become more and more like Jesus. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen
Apply It Today
How can we, as the temple of the Holy Spirit, make ourselves “smell good” to God? In Psalm 141:2, David prays, “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!” As you pray during the fast, do not pray as if you are using cheap air freshener to quickly cover an unpleasant space. Whatever amount of time you spend, be present and focused. Include worship. Welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit.
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