Day 92, or April the 2nd. We constantly need
reminding. Our thoughts today are from 1 Kings
8, verse 9. There was nothing in the ark except
the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in
it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with
the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
Now the big picture surrounding this verse. It's
all systems go on project temple. It takes seven
years to complete it. Seven, the perfect number
in Judaism. Then it takes almost twice as long
for Solomon to finish his own house. Thirteen
years, to be absolutely accurate. The house was
about four times the size of the temple. Need
I go on to show how Solomon was slipping away
from God's standard? The ark is installed with
all the other items of furniture, and the Shekinah
glory of the Lord fills the temple. It was so
full that the priests couldn't gain access, as
Solomon preached and prayed as the people rejoiced.
And now today's action step. The ark of the covenant,
which Solomon carefully placed in the new temple
in Jerusalem, was not all that it used to be.
When he was in the tabernacle, it contained the
Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod, and a jar of manna.
Now, it only contained the Ten Commandments,
the two magnificent reminders of God's faithfulness
to them, as they escaped from Egypt and survived
forty years in the wilderness. Aaron's rod and
some manna were both missing. Israel was still
founded on the solid foundation of the Word of
God, as we must be too. However, they seem to
have forgotten the amazing works of God and the
miracles of the budding rod and the daily supply
of manna for forty years. The reminders had gone.
If we forget how good God has been to us in the
past, the Word of God can become an academic
exercise if we're not careful. Remind yourself
regularly just how good God has been. Count your
blessings, name them one by one, and it will
surprise you what the Lord has done. Name one
now.