The Glory of the Lord
by Annalene Holtzhausen
Chapter 5 in 2 Chronicles is a recording of all the dedicated things Solomon returned to the Lord’s temple after the work to it was done. He summoned all the Israelites to come together, and when all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites brought up the ark, the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place. The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place and they all consecrated themselves. In verse 13a we read that this was followed by music and giving praise and glory to the Lord. Singers raised their voices in praise of the Lord and sang about His goodness and love.
At this moment, the temple was filled with a cloud. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God! This must have been the most amazing experience. The priests were so overwhelmed by the Lord’s presence they could not perform their service. I was thinking about what I was actually reading here and the words that came to mind brought a sense of ‘no striving’. In the Lord’s presence, there is room for nothing else but Him.
Other accounts of people experiencing the Lord’s presence in the Bible also fill us with wonder at His majesty. Some examples are of Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3:6) and in Isaiah 6 we read of Isaiah seeing the Lord seated on a throne. Both of these men were just stunned by our Almighty God. I believe that when the Lord provided a ram to sacrifice in the place of Abraham’s son, Abraham must have left that place a changed man. He encountered the Lord’s goodness on a deep level and called that place ‘the Lord Will Provide’ (Genesis 22:14).
There are many more examples in the Bible and also in our own lives where the Lord touches our hearts and lives with His presence. Moments like these in the presence of the Lord, bring about change. They bring revelation knowledge of God’s character and also bring godly truth to the situation we may be facing. Moments like these are never forgotten nor irrelevant.
In His presence, we see things in a different light - His light. When the Lord is fully present, it is about Him and Him only. There is no place for striving and comparing. It’s in moments like these, that our faith is strengthened and restored; our vision and goal becomes clearer; our very self is then found in Him. I am, because He is.
Prayer: Lord, there are so many demands in this life - things we have to do and to-do-lists that seem endless. The world is just cheering us on to perform and conform. But today I choose to stand still in Your presence and welcome You into my life. I honour You and thank You that You love me so much. Great is the Lord! You are worthy! May Your presence fill my life like the cloud that filled the temple. From this place I can then live and breathe and have my being (Acts 17:28), Amen.
Annalene Holtzhausen is on the Associate Team at Ellel, Africa. She is married to Renier, who introduced her to Ellel Ministries. She is a full-time mother to their two boys. Her passion is for the restoration of women’s hearts and for people to find their worth in the Lord.
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