Housing God's Presence
David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. I Chronicles 15:1 (NKJV)
The ark represents God’s presence. As David prepared a place for God’s presence, we must prepare our hearts to house God’s presence. The way we prepare our hearts is to confess and repent of all sins. We are to keep our hearts right before God.
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3 (KJV)
Our hearts are now to be God’s resting place, where He lives and is enthroned. The ark also represents God’s throne. As we worship, we give God a place to be enthroned, to inhabit, to dwell. We are the tent, the tabernacle, the temple of God. We are the living Holy of Holies, where God dwells.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? I Corinthians 3:16 (KJV)
The word temple is naos in the Greek, which refers to the Holy of Holies, the part of the tabernacle and temple where God’s presence dwelled. As we worship God, His presence is manifested in our hearts and lives. The more we worship, the more we experience God. Worship is like a magnet that draws God’s presence to us.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24 (KJV)
God seeks true worshippers. As we worship the Father in spirit (from our hearts) and in truth (aligned with the truth of God’s Word), God manifests Himself to us in ways only He can.
This means it is of the utmost importance that we protect our hearts where God dwells. We must also protect our worship because it is what God desires and seeks. We must keep our hearts and worship pure and dedicated to god. The more we love God, the more we will worship Him.
The Israelites had to keep the Holy of Holies pure and undefiled. In the same way, we must keep unholy things out of our “tents” and make room only for the “ark.” As we do, we will become a holy dwelling place where God will remain.
The more we make room in our hearts for God’s presence, the more we will experience Him. So, house God’s presence well.
