Monday 19 August 2019

Teach us, Lord, to worship Him in everything we do (prayers based on Ezekiel 41 - 44).

Ezekiel 41:1-42:20
‘This is the Most Holy Place’ (Ezekiel 41:4). Here, Lord, You're speaking about the Temple. The Temple was the place where Your people were to gather together to worship You. There is another ‘holy place’, another place where You are to be glorified: ‘Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit... Glorify God in your body’ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We worship You, Lord, when we are in the place of worship. That is only a part of our worship. Our heart is to be a ‘holy place’ where You alone are worshipped. Teach us to worship Him in everything we do: ‘Be holy in all you do’. At the heart of our worship, may there be thanksgiving for Your love. At the heart of the holy life, there is love. Teach us to ‘obey the truth’ - to ‘love one another deeply from the heart’ (1 Peter 1:15-16,22).
Ezekiel 43:1-27
Lord, this is not only about the glory of the Temple. It’s about ‘the glory of the God of Israel.’ This is the greater glory - ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Temple’ (Ezekiel 43:1,5). Lord, You're not only concerned about the creation of a beautiful place of worship. You want our lives to be ‘radiant with Your glory.’ This happens when ‘the Spirit lifts us up’ and brings us close to You - ‘into the inner court’ (Ezekiel 43:2,5). We pray that Your glory will fill the place of worship: ‘May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place.’ We pray that ‘the glory of Jesus’ will ‘fill His Church.’ We are not only praying for Your glory in the place of worship. We are praying for Your glory in our lives: ‘May the beauty of Jesus fill my life... Fill my thoughts, my words, my deeds’ (Mission Praise, 462).
Ezekiel 44:1-31
'I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the Temple of the Lord...’ (Ezekiel 44:4). We look to You, Lord. We catch a glimpse of Your glory - and ‘we become more and more like You’. You're leading us out of our life of sin, a life that ‘falls short of Your glory’, You're leading us into Your life of salvation, a life of ‘being transformed into Your likeness with ever-increasing glory’ (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 3:23). We have not yet arrived at our full deliverance from sin: ‘When He appears, we shall be like Him’ (1 John 3:2). As we await the return of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, may we keep on praying: ‘Change my heart, O God... May I be like You’. Teach us, Lord to ‘turn our eyes upon Jesus." May we 'look full on His wonderful face.' May 'the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace’ (Mission Praise, 69,712).

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