Thoughts for another day

May 8, 2009.

Today's verse: 1 Kgs. 8:10-12. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

As we read the Bible, we also read about the marvelous ways in which God manifests Himself to either His servants like Moses, Elijah and others or to His people. In our verses above, we have an interesting action of God where, His Presence comes in the form of a Cloud at the dedication process of the Temple.

The Word of God tells us that the Cloud filled the house of the LORD whereby the priests couldn’t stand to minister. Such is God’s glory, seen by man and in the atmosphere where man is. God is an awesome God. His Presence is a holy Presence. And that is why God tells Moses to remove his footwear for he was standing on Holy ground. Where the Lord is, the ground and everything around it becomes holy and there is an effervescence of His awesome glory around that place. Man cannot stand near it as it can give him the shivers. When God spoke at Mount Sinai, the Israelites could not bear to hear His voice nor behold His presence, Ex. 20:18-19. Even the close apostles of Jesus were scared at His transfiguration, remember?

God’s Nature is so ethereal and powerful that when we feel God in the depth of our worship, God seems but a gentle Presence. Nothing that can be held or beheld; just experienced. No earthly experience can be equal. Sometimes we dread this presence when we are unprepared spiritually to accept it. But God is always there and we need to be holy to revel and enjoy His Presence with us. Even as I write, I have this marvelous feeling of God holding me. You know, I feel so weak and tingle with a ‘different’ sensation. All fear is gone and there seems to be an electric charge over me. I pray that you too will move into the cloud of God’s awesome Presence even as you read this and enjoy Him being melded into every atom of your being, body, mind and spirit.