ESOCS Devotional 25 September
TEXT: 1 Kings 7:13-24 KJV
MEMORY VERSE: “And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.” 1 Kings 7:22 KJV
Solomon built the temple with excellence. His concept of the Temple was more like a palace for God than a place of worship. As dwelling place for God, it was fitting, for it to be ornate or decorative, and beautiful. It was a beautiful sight. It was a magnificent building, containing gold, silver, bronze, and cedar. The house was without equal.
Beautification (of our personal homes, office, surroundings, the house of God, etc.) plays an important role in our lives: it gives joy, satisfaction, inner peace, and it shows one is responsible. Overall, it makes a statement: someone cares. The focus here is beautifying the house of God. From our text, Solomon beautified the house of God using beautiful materials; he cared for each detail – gold, bronze, flower, lamp, etc. In 2 Chronicles 3:6, we were told he “garnished” the house with precious stones for beauty.
Beautifying the house of God is both the exterior and interior. Sweeping of the surroundings, providing, and arranging flowerpots outside, sweeping the inside, cleaning the seats, providing, dusting and arranging the flowers, paintings, candle stand lights, ribbons, etc. are all aspects of beautifying His house.
Cleanliness (beautification) is next to godliness. This phrase was first recorded in a sermon by John Wesley in 1778. Being clean (beautification) is a sign of spiritual purity or goodness. It means a clean body and house is a mind free of sinful acts.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
There many blessings associated with beautifying the house of God. God in return beautifies our home, life, and all that pertain to us. As we clean the house of God, the spiritual significance is that He cleans the filth in us. As we provide candles to light in the house of God, the spiritual significance is that He lights our home too. The basic truth is that no beautification we do in the house of God, no matter small, that goes unrewarded.
We do not need to wait until we become rich or wealthy before we could beautify the house of God. With the work of our hands, we can do it. It is highly rewarding (Neh.13:14). Be a partaker now (Ezra 7:27).
CHALLENGES
- Do you consider beautifying the house of God less important?
- Do you think beautifying the house of God is the exclusive reserve of the rich in your local church?
PRAYER POINT
- Ask God for His grace upon you to avoid neglecting your contributions in the house of God.
FURTHER READING: 1 Kings 6; 1 Kings 7:25-51; 2 Chronicle 2, 3 and 4; Haggai 1:8-9
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ESOCS Devotional 24 September
