1 Kings 8:61 AMP
[61] Therefore, your hearts are to be wholly devoted to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as [you are doing] today.
Solomon had learnt from his father what the right way of the temple set up, worship and preparation were. Recall that at a time, there was some bit of carelessness about how the ark of the covenant was to be handled. This was what led to the death of Uzzah, who put out his hand to steady the cart that was carrying the ark of the covenant in those days. Solomon had now built a proper place for the ark of the covenant to stay, with instructions on storage and location in place, in line with the instructions that had been passed on to Moses by God in the wilderness, as Israel journeyed to the land of promise. Years roll by, generations and dispensations come and go, but it is a thing of joy and, at the same time, a warning, that God's standards do not change, and will not be lowered to fit my narrative or my weaknesses. I am the one who must seek to live up to God's expectations and demands.
It is not a wonder, then, that it was recorded that when the priests had come out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the Lord’s house, so the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory and brilliance of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. When I honour God, He takes His place and there is no limit to His manifestation and visitation. Solomon understood what was at stake when he prayed to dedicate the temple he had built. God does not need a physical edifice where His presence can be restricted to, as He is the Lord over all the earth. He is not a God that can be boxed up, or divided into parts in order as much of the world as possible. He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnificent. Solomon knew that, as lovely as the building was, it was not enough to contain God. It is an awesome privilege for an immortal God to relate with mortal man. It is not a relationship to be treated with levity.
It is one to be viewed with awe, because the same God we know as the Lamb, is also called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is the God of mercy, but He is also the One who will judge the living and the dead. He is the Living Water, but He is also the all-consuming fire, before whom no impurity can stand. It is not a wonder, then, that Solomon reminded the people of the nature of this God, and warning them not to be distracted from following God wholeheartedly. God does not deal with the hypocrisy, pretence and eye-service that seem to be popular these days. He knows my heart. I must walk daily in His statutes and keep His commandments. It cannot be a yearly, weekly, or monthly affair, but a daily reality. If only Solomon had adhered to his own charge here, maybe his end would not have been as it turned out to be. I have to be all in; this new year must not be the same old story, but a new commitment to walking with God daily. What of you? God's time of favour is here.
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