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Building A House For God

April 30, 2011 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. 1 Chronicles 17:5

Then David said, “The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.” (NIV) 1 Chronicles 22:1

Over 3000 years ago, a young man named David was anointed king of God’s people. He was a man with a heart after God. Not free from struggles or sin, but he had a tender responsive heart. David achieved more and more success as king. God gave him great wealth as well as peace and rest from all his enemies around him. David saw how God was working among His people and it was his desire to build a house for God to dwell in. After all, David lived in his own magnificent palace. Why should God’s presence reside in a tent? Up until this time, whenever God’s people moved, God moved from place to place with a tent as His dwelling. But, how do you build a dwelling for God?

How do you build a dwelling for the One. . .

Who is the Creator of the universe?
Who breathes life into every man and woman?
Who made a covenant with Abraham declaring that his descendants would be God’s chosen people?
Who delivered the Israelites from the bondage of slavery in Egypt?
Who powerfully parted the Red Sea making the water stand firm like a wall?
Who guided His people with a cloud by day and with light from the fire all night?
Who split the rocks in the desert to give the Israelites water as abundant as the seas?
Who led His people into the Promised Land?
Who at the sound of trumpets tumbled the walls of Jericho?
Who empowered David to slay the giant Goliath?
Who gave David the victory over his enemies?
Who anointed David King?

How do you build a dwelling for the One. . .

Who is all present?
Who is eternal?
Whose voice thunders over the oceans?
Who hung the stars like a canopy in the sky?
Who is incomprehensible?
Who is immeasurable?
Who nothing in all of creation happens beyond His ultimate purpose and will?
Who stands before His universe utterly unlimited and immutable?

How do you build a house big enough for God’s presence?

Written by Marji “Mike” Kruger

Strength for the Weary

September 6, 2010 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV) Isaiah 40:30-31

Waiting is difficult. In a society where instant gratification is expected, it is against human nature to patiently wait. Instead, we try to make things happen in our own way, by our own doing. But, as Christians, waiting on God is the rule, not the exception. We must learn to accept the fact that it takes time to grow and become the product that God desires for us.

The Hebrew word to “wait” literally means “to bind together,” perhaps by twisting as with a cord. It is by twisting ourselves around God’s strong nature that we ourselves receive strength and confidence in Him. We do not possess these traits ourselves, but God makes them available to those who wait and hope in Him. In return, God promises to “renew their strength.” The Hebrew verb used for “gain” means to literally “exchange.” Indicating that God will exchange man’s weakness for His strength.

It is taking all our weaknesses, when we want to quit, our lack of faith in the midst of trials, our impatience. . .

. . .when you and your spouse can no longer communicate effectively,
. . .when you’re in debt, struggling to pay it all back
. . .when your child rebels
. . .when an illness won’t go away
. . .when it seems like you never lose your past

It is placing our weaknesses at His feet and exchanging them for His strength. How are you at waiting?

Written by Marji “Mike” Kruger

Resting in the Potter's Hands

September 28, 2009 By Marji "Mike" Kruger

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (NIV) Isaiah 64:8
You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pot say of the potter, “He knows nothing”? (NIV) Isaiah 29:16
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. (NIV) Jeremiah 18:1
How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter’s hands! (NIV) Lamentations 4:2
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?'” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? (NIV) Romans 9:20
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (NIV) 2 Corinthians 4:7
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (NIV) 2 Timothy 2:20

A Prayer to Pray:
Forgive me for when I get things mixed up. I know that You are the potter…I am but clay in my Master’s loving hands…molding me…making me into whatever vessel You desire. Lord, I want to stay on Your wheel so that You can craft me into Your vessel used for Your purposes, made holy, useful in Your Hands, and prepared for Your good works.

I know that I do not need to strive, but rather that I need to rest in Your hands as You delight in Me. If I am a noble vessel from Your hands, I want to be the best noble vessel I can be. If I am a common vessel, I want to be the best common vessel I can be. When I am molded by You, the beauty of Your vessel will be evident to all.

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