Tuesday after Reminiscere
Posted on March 2, 2021 by under
Scripture: 1 Kings 8:37-43 (NKJV)
8:37 “When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 38 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: 39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men), 40 that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.
41 “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.
Devotion
God’s people have always been taught to fear, love, and trust in Him. This is Solomon’s message as he proclaimed to the people the importance of the temple. He declared to them the importance of faith!
This is still the message that is taught and proclaimed in the Church. There will continue to be adversities, plagues, sicknesses, attacks from evil men and satanic powers, but our help is always found in the name of the Lord. What has changed is that we do not look to one temple in one city, but we look to one holy Cross of Jesus Christ and one consistent body of doctrine that is found in the Word of God. As the Gospel of salvation in Christ crucified is rightly taught and all His commands about the Scriptures and Sacraments are rightly observed, the holy help in His name can be found in those places.
A local church may not have the buildings or the social activities that some think are important, but if it is faithful to the true doctrine and practice of the Scriptures, manifest in what they believe, teach, and confess, then that is a far greater blessing! Outward things can seem helpful or impressive, but the Lord works faith in us to shape our hearts, souls, and minds. All the other things ought to be understood according to the sufficiency of His grace.
Prayer: O God, who seest that of ourselves we have no strength, keep us both outwardly and inwardly that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
