The word, “Dedication,” catches my eye this morning as I read 1 Kings 8:12-26.  Solomon has built a Temple for the Lord God – a Holy and special place to keep the Ark of the Covenant safe.  For the Israelites in the Old Testament, they believed that God was contained in that Ark – It was where only the priests were holy enough to even get near it.  In this text, Solomon dedicates the Temple to God.  Of course, dedication in this sense means that the Temple is to be used for worshipping God.  But, what about us?  Do we use our bodies, minds, and hearts and dedicate all that we have to God?

When Jesus died on that cross that Friday afternoon, the curtain that divided the people from the Ark of the Covenant was torn – meaning God was now everywhere, not just contained in the Ark.  God lives in our bodies!  God lives in our minds!  And, God lives in our hearts!  We are God’s Ark!  How might our dedication to our Lord and Savior look if we began to live our lives and dedicate our hearts and minds as an Ark for Jesus Christ?

Let us pray…Gracious God, you are a part of us.  You created us in your image.  We belong to you and are a part of you, but sometimes we forget.  Help us to live our lives and dedicate our lives to you.  We love you so much.  Amen.