Hello friends! Today we read about the construction of the temple itself and Solomon's dedications to the temple. Bible Project has a video on the temple that I'll link below for you to get a good illustration and to understand it's significance. But my challenge for you today is to view and understand the temple in a larger way. The temple that is your home, your family, your body, etc. How have you had those things dedicated? How do you infuse the fruits of the spirit into your life to honor those dedications and keep them holy? As you read through Solomon's prayer for the temple, I wonder if you can make that prayer your own as well? What sticks out to you today? I'd love to know!
Scripture to Read
Audio Bible
Questions to Consider
What does this teach me about God?
What was the key aspect of Solomon's prayer that made God so happy?
What, if anything, feels applicable to today? What does it challenge me to do in response?
As mentioned above today I have a Bible Project video for you to watch on the Temple. Enjoy!
Praying the Hymns
Today we pray the hymn The Friendly Beasts which is page 227 in our United Methodist Hymnal. This is inspired by the animals that laid with Jesus in the classic nativity scene. A lovely reminder that animals are a part of God's creation and God's covenant of eternal and sacred love. It's also just a fun and silly song. Often the more contemporary music pieces can be super serious and gritty with their theology about how God overcomes in battles and things like that. But this a song where people give creative voices to animals and laugh along. It's cool to know that church can be a little silly sometimes and that doesn't make it sacrilegious.
Also the words from this are from the 12th century and the tune is medieval. Like whaaaa? This is a relic! haha.
Jesus our brother, strong and good Was humbly born in a stable rude And the friendly beasts around Him stood Jesus our brother, strong and good
"I, " said the donkey, shaggy and brown "I carried His mother up hill and down I carried His mother to Bethlehem town" "I, " said the donkey, shaggy and brown
"I, " said the cow, all white and red "I gave Him my manger for His bed I gave Him my hay to pillow His head" "I, " said the cow, all white and red
"I, " said the sheep with curly horn "I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm He wore my coat on Christmas morn" "I, " said the sheep with curly horn
"I, " said the dove from the rafters high "I cooed Him to sleep so that He would not cry We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I" "I, " said the dove from the rafters high
Thus every beast by some good spell In the stable dark was glad to tell Of the gift he gave Emmanuel The gift he gave Emmanuel