Today’s Reading:
Read II Chronicles 7; Psalm 134; Psalm 136
Have you ever played a game of “connect the dots?” Usually, there is an outline of a picture with dots strategically placed and numbered for someone to connect by following the numbers to make it complete. When all the dots are connected, you can see what the illustration was originally intended to be. As we read the story of the dedication of the temple, we will have the chance to connect some dots that will take us from David’s dream of a temple to Solomon’s reality of a temple.
II Chronicles 6:11-12
“The word of the Lord came to Solomon. ‘As for this temple you are building- if you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep all my commands by walking in them, I will fulfill my promise to you, which I made to your father David. I will dwell among the Israelites and not abandon my people Israel.’”
II Chronicles 7:1
“… the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”
David wanted to build the temple for the Israelites to have a place to worship God. Because of the wars and the unrest that Israel experienced under David’s throne, God told David that he could not build the temple. Rather, his son, Solomon, could complete the temple’s construction. Solomon was obedient and God fulfilled his promise. When the temple was finished, the glory of the Lord filled the temple and there was great rejoicing. The people worshipped and praised the Lord. They had lived in the Promised Land for over 400 years without a permanent structure for the Lord to dwell. And now, the temple was built, and they would have a place to worship God.
As the people worshipped, they sang a special song that was actually written by King David, and we find it in Psalm 136. “For he is good, for his faithful love endures forever,” (II Chronicles 7:3; Psalm 136)
We can connect the dots from David’s original dream to God’s faithful provision to the completion of the temple. And in the end, we can see a beautiful temple where God’s presence chose to dwell.
Application/Prayer:
Read Psalm 136. Make a timeline that shows God’s faithfulness from creation to the settling of the Israelites in Canaan. (v. 1-9- creation; 10-16- Egypt and the Exodus; 11-26- settling in Canaan). As your family “connects the dots” on the timeline, thank God for his love that endures forever.
June Memory Verse:
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
June memory verse coloring sheet
June Fill-in the blank activity