Tuesday after Reminiscere Sunday
Posted on March 15, 2022 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
In this reading, King Solomon is praying that the Temple may be a place of healing for the people. He acknowledges that evil things like famine and pestilence are an outgrowth of sin. The Lord also uses these things to convict and convince His people that, as Solomon says in verse 38, “shall know every man the plague of his own heart.”
Solomon petitions the Lord to hear the prayer of His people and forgive their sin when they “spread forth [their] hands toward this house.” The Apostle John tells us that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the Temple (John 2:18-22). Therefore, we stretch out our hands of faith toward Christ, believing that He will save us from sin and death. The Lord also calls the foreigner–those who are far off from Him–and causes them to come to His Temple, which is found in Christ. By this, the true nature of Solomon’s prayer is answered, not just in his time, but for all ages.
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, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with the Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
