Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. — 2 Chronicles 7:1
Growing up in church, I remember many times hearing some of the older people around the church pray. It was not the same word repetition prayer that we often hear in our day. These were people that were spending time talking to someone that they had a relationship with. It was not a casual or careless conversation, there was a specific point.
They knew that they were talking to the God of heaven. If anyone could help in the situation that they were praying about, it was God. They weren’t focused on who was around them, impressing them, or doing anything extravagant, they simply wanted to talk to God and for God to intervene in the situation.
Fire did not come down from Heaven and consume a sacrifice in the church that day, but the presence of God was certainly felt. It started with a faithful Christian calling on God. As we reflect on the verse from 2 Chronicles where Solomon prayed and the glory of God filled the house, how do we feel about our own prayer lives?
Do we pray casually and carelessly or are we praying with a purpose? Solomon was praying to God and was serious about his prayer. He knew that God was the God of all and was able to intervene on behalf of the people. Only God was able to do this and Solomon was serious as he prayed.
While we often talk about living life with purpose, we should approach our prayer lives with purpose. We must acknowledge the sovereignty of God but also share our hearts. If we pray with purpose, God can fill our lives and homes with His glory. What an amazing thought!
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