"The Place" Is Holy

Solomon moved his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter, from the City of David to the new palace he had built for her. He said, “My wife must not live in King David’s palace, for the Ark of the LORD has been there, and it is holy ground.” [2 Chronicles 8.11]

In light of my last two days' posts, this verse stood out to me today from the OYCB reading.

Holiness is a big deal. As we saw when Solomon opened up and dedicated the new Temple by doing everything "right," God's presence filled "the place." This apparently had such an effect upon Solomon that he realized that God's presence changes the places He manifests Himself.

So, let's "connect the dots..."

Today's Christians (at least in the USA where I live) purportedly desire the power of God to manifest in their lives. And, based on the last two days' OYCB readings and my observations, Jesus opened up the Way for this to happen - for man to have God (the Holy Spirit commissioned by Jesus) actually live in his heart. However, the power of God is NOT manifesting with any measurable tangible effect today. Why? Well, because man has not taken seriously the presence of God in his heart thus allowing Him to displace any and all unholiness.

Solomon's actions with His non-Jew wife teach us an important lesson about holiness. We should never expect to keep our worldly ways where we intend for God to dwell. In other words, if we expect God to live in our hearts, we must treat our hearts as holy ground constantly aware that faith in Jesus Christ (manifested primarily in our forgiving others) keeps the forgiveness covering over our lives so God's holiness might manifest in and through us!

We learn this important lesson from every account of the full-time activity surrounding God's throne... there is constant recitation of God's holiness (see Isaiah 6.3 and Revelation 4.8). God's holiness (and therefore His power) will not coexist with unrighteousness. Jesus' single greatest accomplishment on earth was found in His forgiveness thus uniting the believer with God's holiness. If we do not forgive, we have no part in Jesus, and so, no indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and so, no hope of God's power working in and through our lives.

Once again we are brought back to the importance of Jesus teaching us to pray first and foremost, "May Your name be kept holy..." ("Hallowed by Thy name..."). Not to be overlooked in the arrangement of asking forgiveness in this same model prayer is the accompanying instruction of asking for daily bread (AND forgive us...). We should seek forgiveness as often as we need to eat. And right along with that, we should forgive others with as much propriety. Remember, this can only be the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

Here is one other important consideration (and then I will stop for today): God's presence manifested in the Temple after Solomon prepared it (set up the Most Holy Place behind the veil). Until we give as much attention to the throne room of our hearts (simply, but purposefully, opening the door in faith allowing Jesus to enter), there is no hope of the manifest power of the Holy Spirit in us. It's all about constantly allowing Jesus to do His thing in our hearts (lest we are tempted to think "we" can do anything). His "thing" is forgiveness - forgiveness in and forgiveness out... Therein is our holiness. Therein is our power. Therein is why we must be willing to release our hold on any unholy thing otherwise occupying space the Holy Spirit would occupy.

Wow.

Father, forgive me for my nonchalant attitude about my heart being a dwelling place for Your Holy Spirit. May I be mindful that any and everything that occupies my heart - mainly Your Spirit - be there so that Your forgiveness, and therefore Your power, manifests in and through me.