AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD . . .

What wonderful descriptions of the materials of gold, wood, bronze, precious stones, and the workmanship we have here in these chapters as Solomon builds the Temple for the name and presence of the Lord. Did you catch the number of workmen? Thousands of them - each with a specific task - and each had a special talent to bring to the Lord. They used their special abilities and talents that they were gifted with - skilled to work in gold and silver, iron and bronze, crimson and blue yarn, engraving. When we use what God has gifted us with for His glory, it will be beautiful and unified and all fit together as He has planned.

OK, I can't help it - when searching for a picture of the Temple that Solomon built, I came across this great picture. It was built by a young 17-year old Christian boy from Virginia. It took him over 13 months to build, used over 14,000 pieces of Legos, and cost over $1,000 to make. Unbelievable! And he dedicated it to God and hoped it would benefit someone with their walk with God. He didn't miss many details, huh? (You should see the pictures of the inside). My son and grandsons loved to play with Legos - but they never made anything like this!

After all the work was completed, the priests brought in the Ark of the Lord into the Holy of Holies. The priests withdrew, the singers with their harps, lyres, and cymbals praised the Lord, and 120 trumpets blew. Can you imagine that wonderful praise offering? Hear the music and sound that filled the air? Then - the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud and the glory of God. God had accepted their offering. God came in a cloud to give the Ten Commandments to Moses, in a Pillar of Cloud to guide the children of Israel in the wilderness, and a cloud came to fill the Tabernacle in the wilderness when it was first built. God was concealed in a cloud on the Mount of Transfiguration, and Jesus ascended in a cloud to heaven and will come again in like manner.

I could not help but reflect on our Easter Sunrise Service this year at our new pavilion, Solomon's Porch. It took many workmen many days and hours to build and complete this structure, guided by one gifted and dedicated individual. It took many men (and women) with different talents to move the dirt and gravel, hammer in the nails, lift the lumber, pull the wires, pour the concrete, install the roof, do the brickwork, trim the trees, shrubs and grass - all working together using their gifts for the glory of the Lord. And if you were present on that special Easter morning and saw the sun rising in the East with our church, the steeple, and the cross in the background, you also saw the glory of the Lord.