2 Chronicles 6 recounts the prayer of Solomon, as the temple in Jerusalem was finally completed. It is a beautiful account of Solomon’s understanding of not only the majesty of God, but also his faithfulness. The prayer begins in verse 14. “He prayed, ‘O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and Earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.’” This one verse offers us three incredible keys to understanding God and to shaping our walk with him.

 

1. There is no God like him.

In a world of manufactured gods, idols and distractions, it is essential to reflect on the awesomeness of the Creator. There is no God like our God. He is unmatched, unlimited, magnificent, holy and powerful. There is none greater than him. His creativity, as displayed in his creation, is breath-taking and his love, as shown through the gift of his son, Jesus, is unsurpassed. In opening his prayer, Solomon declared to all Israel the fact of God’s magnificence. Pausing and reflecting on the splendour of the King helps to bring our lives into a healthy perspective.

 

2. God keeps his covenant.

Covenants are all about agreements or promises. In the ancient times, conquering kings generally made covenants with weaker kings and all the benefit was ultimately on the side of the conqueror. In the covenant offered to humanity, all the benefit is on our side of the equation, while God has done all the work. And then God promises that he will keep his covenant with us. What confidence we can place in such a faithful God.

 

3. We are called to devote ourselves to God.

Isaiah 43:7 highlights that the purpose of creation is to bring glory to God. When we have reconciled ourselves to our creator, we are able to bring glory to him through living God-honouring lives. Our devotion to him involves setting time apart to spend time with him, but it should also be framed in telling others about him. The devotion Solomon speaks of is “whole-hearted”, more than a casual relationship, where time seeking God is a priority and opportunities to sit in his presence are actively sought after.

 

At the conclusion of Solomon’s prayer, God’s presence entered the temple and was so powerful that the priests were unable to enter. Their response was to fall to the ground, worship and give thanks. When we acknowledge that there is no other God like our God, come into covenant with him and choose to spend time in relationship with him, we are also able to experience his presence personally. What an amazing thought!