Too Cloudy to Work

I don't know about you, but cloudy days usually make me want to relax. They sorta take the glare off of the day.

"When the priests left the Holy Place, a cloud filled The Temple of God. The priests couldn't carry out their priestly duties because of the cloud -- the glory of God filled The Temple of God!" -I Kings 8, verses 10-11

At our ladies conference a couple weeks ago, and at various ladies small groups in the last week -- we touched on this very point! God wants to BE with us more than He wants to use us!

That verse really struck me this morning -- how it would be to be in such a place at home or at church (or wherever) and to find God's presence so thick, so tangible that I physically couldn't DO anything - not even my "churchly duties!"

Except worship Him. BE with Him.

Now that's a sit-on-the-runway-for-2-hours kind of cloud.
A rain-packed, get-inside-the-house kind of cloud.
A cruising-altitude, unbuckle-your-seatbelt cloud.

The kind where either MY plans are halted so that good things can come (safe air travel or rain for my thirsty yard) ... OR the kind of clouds that block my view of everything else.


One other thing that really stuck a soul-chord with me today was also in chapter 8, verses 12 & 13 (sorry i can't use my colon key, my son ripped it off my laptop)...

"God has told us that He lives in the dark
where no one can see Him;
I've built this splendid Temple, O God,
to mark Your invisible presence forever."

And about that Temple...

"Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood?" (27) ... "People are going to be attracted here [Temple] by Your great reputation, Your wonder-working power..." (43)

This just really reminded me of how I am the temple of God! That people can't see Him, but they can see me -- and then see that it's really Him. It's just as if Solomon were to plunk down all that gold, cedar and bronze in my backyard and go to work!

I was gently reminded by the Holy Spirit that in my life, my home, neighborhood, grocery store, in my church.... people CAN be attracted to Jesus' reputation and His power ... IF i will do my part and have this temple always ready to be used, to do my part in the church for it to be ready.

I need a cloud!!