If God is everywhere all the time, how come I don't always know it or sense it? Why does God seem so far away sometimes? I come to Him and I can't find Him? I call out and God doesn't answer? It's like He just disappeared from my life.
Could be. But if He has disappeared, we're the ones who squeezed Him out. That's what the Israelites did according to Ezekiel. Solomon had built this great temple to the Lord. Chronicles tells us how that once the temple was completed and dedicated to the Lord, God filled it with His "shekinah" glory. It was so overwhelming that the priest had to leave the temple. Everyone was in awe of the presence of God that filled their temple.
But in Ezekiel's day, the Israelites decided to bring other forms of worship into the temple. They erected idols to Asherah and Tamnuz (fertility gods of the non-Israelis living in the land). They apparently also had their own form of Mother Earth worship going on in the temple too. The magnificent temple, built and dedicated to God, had become a center for pagan worship. The people had brought all sorts of false gods and worldly practices into God's house.
So God, in response to the people's actions, left His own house. He withdrew His presence. Why wouldn't God stay and fight? Because He doesn't have to. He won't stay where He's not wanted. But when God leaves so does His protection and provision. God doesn't have to punish us when we reject Him or hook up with other "gods." All He has to do is withdraw His hand and leave us to our own devices. We have to face the consequences of our own choices.
The Bible says God is a jealous God. There is no room for bringing other gods, idols or items of worship into our lives. When job, kids, sports, career, cleaning house, partying, sex, marriage take His place as priority in our life, we force God into the back seat. God won't sit in the back seat. In fact, He wants to drive.
Has God's glory departed from your life? Has His presence evaporated? Then maybe it's time for a temple cleansing and rededication. That starts with a heart examine. What or who has become the central object of your worship?
God, my prayer, like King David's, is that you not remove your spirit from me. Search me and create in me a clean heart. Forgive me for defiling my temple, my body, my life. I want your presence. I want to experience your shekinah glory in my life.
No comments:
Post a Comment