How can we apply Solomon's humility in acknowledging God's greatness in our prayers? Setting the Scene: Solomon’s Prayer at the Temple “ ‘But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, how much less this temple I have built!’ ” (2 Chronicles 6:18) Solomon stands in the brand-new temple, lifts his hands toward heaven, and confesses that the God who fills the cosmos has stooped to hear His people. That single sentence models a heart posture we can carry into every prayer. Solomon’s Humility in a Sentence • He recognizes God’s transcendence: “heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You.” • He marvels at God’s condescension: “how much less this temple I have built!” • He takes no credit for the temple’s glory; he sees it as small compared to God. • He speaks as a servant, not as an equal. Principles for Our Prayers Today 1. Start With Who God Is – Acknowledge His greatness before presenting requests. – Psalm 90:2: “From everlasting to everlasting You are God.” 2. Compare His Infinity to Our Limits – Admit our frailty and sinfulness. – Isaiah 57:15: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit.” 3. Marvel at His Nearness – Thank Him that the God no building can contain now dwells in believers by His Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). 4. Submit Plans, Not Parade Them – Like Solomon, hand every accomplishment back to God, crediting Him as source and owner (James 1:17). 5. Ask on the Basis of Mercy – Solomon’s prayer that follows (vv. 19-42) repeatedly appeals to God’s covenant mercy, not personal merit. Practical Ways to Cultivate Humble Praise • Begin prayer with a verse that exalts God’s attributes (e.g., Psalm 145:3). • Use the “though-yet” pattern: “Though You are ______, yet You choose to ______.” • Keep a journal of God’s answers; review it to remember His greatness, not yours. • Physically bow, kneel, or lift hands—body posture often fuels heart posture. • Confess dependence out loud: “Apart from You I can do nothing” (John 15:5). Complementary Scriptures that Echo 2 Chronicles 6:18 • Psalm 8:3-4: “When I behold Your heavens … what is man that You are mindful of him?” • Acts 17:24-25: “The God who made the world … does not live in temples made by human hands.” • Ephesians 3:20-21: “To Him who is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine … be glory.” Putting It into Practice This Week Day 1: Read 2 Chronicles 6 aloud; jot every phrase that magnifies God. Day 2: Write a short prayer beginning with “Even heaven cannot contain You, yet You have chosen to dwell in me.” Day 3: During a routine task, pause to acknowledge God’s greatness over creation you see. Day 4: Replace self-focused phrases (“I accomplished”) with God-focused ones (“He enabled”). Day 5: Share one answered prayer, giving all credit to the Lord. The more we echo Solomon’s wonder—“Will God indeed dwell with man on the earth?”—the more our prayers will overflow with humble awe and confident trust in the One whose greatness cannot be measured yet who gladly listens to His children. |
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