Scripture: 1st King 8:28-29
LORD my God, listen to your servant’s prayer and request, and hear the cry and prayer that your servant prays to you today. Constantly watch over this temple, the place about which you said, “My name will be there,” and listen to the prayer that your servant is praying toward this place.
Thought for the Day: I want to build on yesterday’s devotional. The 8th century Syrian monk, John of Damascus described prayer as the raising of one’s heart and mind to God. The idea of both mind and heart is important as this is not exclusively an intellectual or emotional experience. I resinate with those ideas as we are too often an either/or approach to the things of faith, when in fact, our lives cannot be easily divided into mind, body or spirit. The question I have for St. John of Damascus is in regard to the real starting place. Are we the ones who instigate the raising of our hearts and minds? In the passage from 1st Kings, Solomon is offering a prayer of dedication at the temple in Jerusalem. Though it may sound as if those praying are requesting for God to listen, there is another important line: “My name will be there…” This was a way of describing the presence of God, a presence that was there for the people. As Psalm 139 asks, “Where could I go to get away from your spirit? Where could I go to escape your presence?” Of course, in wonderfully poetic language, the author clearly explains how there is no place we can go where God’s presence isn’t already there. In many ways, this is another way of describing our identity text from 1st John, “We love because God first loved us.” God is the first actor, and though it may feel as if God is not present or God has suddenly made an appearance, my faith believes God was forever present and will be forever present.
Prayer: You are there and have promised to always be there. Thank you, O Lord of my life. Thank you for being present even in those moments when I have convinced myself otherwise. Amen.
TODAY
LAST MOSES STUDY
Noon & 6:30pm
–
