Monday, December 05, 2011

Prayers to be Heard (Random Thoughts on 2 Chron 6)

Do you ever feel like crying out to God, asking Him to hear you?

Enter 2 Chronicles chapter 6.  Solomon's 13 verse introduction and 28 verse invocation at the dedication of the temple.

I was reading through this chapter, being slightly bored at Solomon's repetitiveness.  Then I decided to pay attention to the repetitiveness.

And it's all about asking God to hear.

For example, in v19, Solomon asks God to "have respect" to his prayers and supplication.  Then he defines his supplication: 1) that God would hear his prayer, 2) that God's eyes would be upon the temple, 3) that God would hear the prayer that Solomon was praying about the temple, 4) that God would hear his supplications of Solomon and of the people of Israel, and 5) that when God hears, He would forgive.

The next 22 verses continue on a similar theme...

If Israel is being beaten by an enemy and they turn and confess and pray; hear and forgive and restore.
If the rain is withheld because of sin and the people pray and confess and turn; hear, forgive, and restore.
If a stranger seeks God at the temple; hear and answer for the sake of your name and this temple.

...and so it continues, Solomon reminding God of His (God's) promises, greatness, and stature and asking for Him to hear the prayers that are offered that day.

No profound thoughts from my end; just contemplating and percolating.  But still, it's a good reminder that's okay to remind God of His promises and to ask God to hear me.  Solomon did.

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