"A Sanctified Place"

"Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength." (Psalms 132:8)

  You ever wonder why it is that you feel so funky after a moment of feeling rejuvenated and at peace with God? It is a lot like the vail that Moses wore; it was not so people did not see the shine on his face, it was so they would not notice that it left. This is actually a verse the resembles the end of Solomon's prayer, which is found in 2 Chronicles 6:12-42. It was a very powerful time, because when he had finished his prayer, "fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house." (2 Chronicles 7:1) There are so many things that I don't understand about how God works out His purposes in people; let alone what He is working out in mine. But this much I know, He is faithful to complete what He has started! We might not think it is working; we might not even think we are involved in making a difference; but it is not something that we can actually see working, at least not the way that we think. Here is a really good example of what I mean: that Solomon was so anointed and devoted to serving God, yet it was not too much after, that he was consumed with the world. But God! God was not finished with him, nor did God abandon him. That is the thing about Israel that must make us take notice: They might have abandoned God, but He never abandoned them! The phrase, "This too shall pass," is believed to have been attributed King Solomon, when he was feeling blue. Back to the point of Paul's statement, "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say rejoice;" this is about a place that is sanctified because the Lord is in it; not because we have made it, and surely not because of any special anointing we might have felt or experienced. The reason that it matters what we think about and the way we view any situation, is because it is God's purpose for our lives that matter most; not what we think is going on, or the way that we might feel. I cannot begin to tell you how frequently I have thoughts of discouragement, because it hurts my heart sometimes thinking about things as they were, and comparing them to things as they are. But God has a purpose in this; what that actually might be, I don't know completely what; but like Paul says we should do, I focus upon all the good and count it all joy, because God is in it...

""If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."" (2 Chronicles 7:14)