Glory! - 2 Chronicles 5:2 - 14

By chapter 5 in 2 Chronicles we are at a real high point. It is a moment for the Glory of God. God came powerfully among the people in a way that they could not mistake for anything else. At Countess Free Church the leadership team hold three key strategic areas where we are looking for growth among us. One of these is headed 'God Among Us - Looking for the Lord powerfully present among us'.

As a leadership we want to help us welcome, see and experience God present among us in all kinds of ways and all kinds of settings. Young and old can take part in that. We break it down into:

1. Desire & expectancy at every level - for each group, activity and gathering to be expecting to meet with God whenever they come together
2. Practice simply the presence of God - to have a greater awareness of God, and realising that it doesn't have to be complicated!
3. Micro-initiatives - individuals and groups to confidently take initiative back in their own places, with people they live near or work with and so on.

Each of us as individuals will likely have had our own personal experiences of God. Some big and significant, others quieter, perhaps as simply knowing a special time when we were 'held' by God. These are all important in the journeys of our lives. Hearing about them is useful, though we should guard ourselves from comparing - for each individual is different and God will meet us exactly in the way that fits for us.

Back in 2 Chronicles King Solomon has finally completed the Temple and furnished it beautifully. This is the fulfillment of his father's (King David) dream. David wanted a physical building in Jerusalem, to be the place where God could be amongst His people. A place where people could come together and know they could meet with God. His son actually got to build it and bring in appropriate bits of furniture, including the old ark (box) from the covenant journey.

This was a great moment of celebration, and Solomon organised a celebration in style! With musicians, trumpets, cymbals there was much loud noised praising and rejoicing.

Then something extraordinary happened. The Temple was filled with a dense thick cloud - it was the glory of God! It was an amazing moment, and an arresting moment. The priests inside the Temple had to give up their priestly duties and stop because of the over-powering presence of God.

For us when we gather in a large gathering (e.g. Sunday), or in a smaller setting, we can come and get ourselves ready. We can take up different postures with our bodies, and we can raise our voices etc. There is nothing magic in any of this, but they all can contribute us to readying ourselves in mind, body and soul. But for the actual presence of God to tangibly come - so that we can certainly feel it - is up to God Himself.

We cannot make Him physically come among us. Some people seem to behave in ways suggesting that they think if they make enough noise, work themselves into a frenzy ... then God will come. But that is incorrect - it is always up to God alone and His choosing. Yet we can do a number of things that set our hearts to be open to God, that show our desire for Him, our readiness ... for whether He chooses to come in some physically obvious way or not.

We do not look for some specific experience, and we don't chase experiences. Instead we just want God to have His way among us on earth as it is in heaven, starting with our lives.