🕊️ PRAY HERE Devotion 🕊️ God is Not Confined to a Building

Scripture: Acts 7:48-50 (ESV)

“Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?’”

Devotion: Lots of people think that God is only at the church building.

They wait until Sunday to hear about Him.

They wait until Sunday to worship Him.

They wait until Sunday to pray.

They wait until Sunday to experience His presence.

Have you ever heard someone say, “I can’t wait to get to church so I can feel God”?

Now, I understand what they mean because corporate worship is powerful. But sometimes we unintentionally act as though God only exists inside the four walls of a church building.

Whew!

Some people live however they want Monday through Saturday, then go looking for God on Sunday morning.

Others think God only moves during service, but never expect Him to move in their living room, on their job, in their car, or during their personal prayer time.

Stephen noticed something similar.

The people had become overly focused on the temple. The temple was important, but they had begun to place too much emphasis on the building and not enough on God Himself.

So Stephen reminded them of what the prophet had already said.

The Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands.

Glory to God!

Think about today’s scripture.

How can you confine a God whose footstool is the earth?

How can you put boundaries around the Creator of the universe?

How can a God who made Heaven and Earth be limited to one location?

You can’t.

God is everywhere.

He is at the church.

He is in your home.

He is in the hospital room.

He is in the prison.

He is on your job.

He is with you when you are driving down the road.

He is with you in the midnight hour when nobody else knows what you’re going through.

Thank God for that!

Now let’s be clear.

Church buildings are important.

We need places to gather together for corporate worship, prayer, fellowship, and hearing the Word of God.

The Bible tells us not to forsake assembling ourselves together.

But the building is not God.

The building is where God’s people gather.

Sometimes the modern church can mistakenly become more passionate about protecting a building than reaching people.

Sometimes we become more concerned about church traditions than experiencing God’s presence.

Sometimes we become so attached to a location that we forget God is trying to move outside of it.

Whew!

The early church turned the world upside down, and most of them did not even have church buildings like we have today.

They understood that God went wherever they went.

The Holy Ghost was with them.

The same is true for us.

Thank God that He is not confined to a building.

Thank God that His presence can meet us anywhere.

Thank God that when the church service ends, His presence does not leave.

So today, do not wait until Sunday to seek Him.

Worship Him now.

Pray now.

Talk to Him now.

Because God is right where you are.

God bless you!

Prayer: Father God, thank You for being everywhere at all times. Thank You that I do not have to wait until I get to a church building to experience Your presence. Help me remember that You are with me at home, at work, in my car, and everywhere I go. Lord, let me seek You daily and not just during church services. Thank You for places of worship and fellowship, but help me never put a building above You. Open my eyes to see Your presence all around me and help me live every day aware that You are near. I love You and thank You for never leaving me nor forsaking me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

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