2 Chronicles 2 - 18: Don't forget the foreigner

- Don't forget the foreigner:  Solomon seemed to have a vision for the Kingdom of God when he prayed at the temple dedication. After he prayed for the people of Israel, he said this: "Don't forget the foreigner....so that people all over the world will know who you are and what you're like (2 Chronicles 6:32-33).

- Fire & clouds:  After the prayers of dedication, God sent a lightning bolt down to the altar. Then a cloud of his glory filled the temple. Sounds like God was happy.
- Solomon's throne:  What an amazing visual. Solomon's throne was ivory covered in gold. It had 6 steps leading up to it, and 12 gold lions lining the steps.
- Wild child:  Solomon loved God, but his son Rehoboam did not. 2 Chronicles 12:14 said this: "God was not important to him." Simple, but clear. I hope this will never be said about me.
- Shout it out:  Although the people strayed repeatedly, they did repent at times. In 2 Chron 15:14, the people repented and returned to God. They "shouted out" their promise to God with blasts from trumpets and rams' horns."
- Totally devoted:  God is "constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him" (2 Chron 16:9). He censured King Asa for going to a foreign king (King of Aram) for help. "You were foolish to go for human help when you could've had God's help." How often this describes me! Not only did Asa go to a foreign king, he took silver and gold from the temple treasuries and gave it to the King of Aram to buy his favor. How sad.

Elena's verse of the day:  "The Lord is good and his love never ends" (2 Chronicles 5:13 & 7:3).