The Jesus Bible Reading PlanSample

PRAYER AND FORGIVENESS

Solomon made a prayer of dedication after he completed the temple. In the prayer, he asked God to keep his eyes continually open toward the temple. The idea was that the temple was a place where God’s people could meet with him in prayer — he would see them and hear their requests when they faced the temple. Solomon’s main request was that when Israel sinned and fell into judgment, they could pray toward the temple, and God would hear their prayers and forgive them. In fact, Solomon prayed that even foreigners who were not part of Israel could pray toward the temple and have their prayers heard (vv. 32 – 33). He prayed that in exile the people could pray toward the temple and that God would hear them, forgive them and return them to the land (vv. 24 – 25). These verses, written after the exile, would have been incredibly encouraging to the returned exiles because they show that God keeps his promises!

In the New Testament, Jesus is the temple. Anyone, no matter their circumstances or national identity, can pray to him for forgiveness (1Jn 1:9). Solomon confessed, “There is no one who does not sin” (2Ch 6:36). The good news is that there is no one whose sins Jesus will not forgive if they repent.

Jesus, thank you that no one is beyond your forgiveness. Help me communicate this truth to those who believe that they are. Amen.