I am not here by accident. I am here in this place by divine appointment.
Since God is everywhere equally present, whenever I turn my attention to the presence of the Good, I dwell in the House of the Lord.
Wherever I am–either alone or gathered with others in prayer– my heart is in a holy place.
In Genesis, we read that Jacob fell asleep, alone in the wilderness; when he awoke, he declared: “Surely the LORD is in this place and I knew it not” (Genesis 28:16, King James Version).
Wherever I am, wherever I journey, I can always pause and pray.
I feel instantly safe and divinely guided as I affirm: “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place!”
Responsive Reading for Sunday, February 18
“The LORD, your God, carried you, as a man carries his child, all along your journey until you arrived at this place” (Deuteronomy 1:31).
I am not here by accident. I am here in this place by divine appointment.
(A prayer of Solomon:) “O LORD, my God . . . . May your eyes watch night and day over this temple, the place where you have decreed you shall be honored; . . . heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place” (I Kings 8:28-9).
Since God is everywhere equally present, whenever I turn my attention to the presence of the Good, I dwell in the House of the Lord.
“And I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts . . . . Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, says the LORD of hosts; And in this place I will give you peace, says the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:7-9).
Gathered here with my friends in prayer, my heart is in a holy place.
“Surely the LORD is in this place and I knew it not” (Genesis 28:16, King James Version).
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place!