말보다 말씀! 빚보다 빛!

[Key Verse]
“So all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the Lord was completed. Then he brought in the things his father David had dedicated—the silver and the gold and all the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of God’s temple.”
—2 Chronicles 5:1 (NIV)

[Our Story]
When I moved from Dallas to Austin, I had to replace our kids’ furniture—especially their beds. The old ones, bought when they were very young, could no longer support the oldest child, now entering youth group age. I had no choice but to throw out the old beds and buy new ones. Of course, they had to be assembled. I spread out the parts and the instruction manual in the spacious living room and started putting everything together, carefully following the steps. The parts all looked similar, but the manual helped us sort things out. I worked hard, wanting to have it all done before the kids got home. Eventually, the bunk bed was complete. I’m not especially good at building things, and honestly, I don’t enjoy it much either—but with my wife’s help, we managed. There was a deep sense of satisfaction knowing our kids would sleep comfortably. But then came the problem: we couldn’t fit the fully assembled bed into their room. No matter how we twisted and turned it, it just wouldn’t go through the doorway. In the end, we had to take the whole thing apart and reassemble it inside the room. We had misjudged the space. Poor planning led to unnecessary work.

[Bible Story]
2 Chronicles 1–5 tells the story of Solomon building the temple in Jerusalem. The work didn’t begin with him—it was only possible because of the thorough preparation done by his father, David. When David handed the throne to Solomon, he centered that transition around the temple, declaring a bold message: it was time to restore the Word and revive worship. When Solomon offered sacrifices, God appeared and invited him to ask for anything. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God’s people. God was pleased and gave him wisdom, wealth, and honor he had not asked for. With this God-given wisdom, Solomon set about building the temple. He sent a message to King Hiram of Tyre, who had been a friend of David, requesting cedar logs and skilled workers from Lebanon (2 Chronicles 2:3–10). Hiram agreed and promised to send everything Solomon needed (2 Chronicles 2:11-16). The construction began on Mount Moriah, where Abraham had once offered Isaac (Genesis 22). It’s crucial to note: the temple was built exactly as God had shown David (2 Chronicles 3–4; see also 1 Chronicles 28:12, 19). When the temple was finally completed and dedicated (2 Chronicles 5), the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Most Holy Place, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Songs of praise rose up, and God’s presence became tangible. David had prepared, and Solomon faithfully followed that preparation, and into that faithful obedience, God poured out His glory.

[Your Story]
How’s your heart these days? In the whirlwind of daily life, it’s not easy to guard our hearts. What condition is your inner temple in? What are you doing to build it strong? To build a solid spiritual temple, we must prepare with the Word. Just as God’s glory descended when the Ark was placed in Solomon’s temple, we, too, can experience His presence when His Word dwells in our hearts. Even if a storm has cracked your heart or brought things crashing down, let the Word restore you. Today, may your life be filled not with the words of people, but with the glorious presence of the Lord who speaks through His Word.

“Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” —1 Corinthians 3:16 (NIV)

With joy,
Pastor Hyung Joong Kim

Copyrightⓒ 2025 by Hyung Joong Kim