Even the Wisest Man Prayed!

The Lord appeared to him (Solomon) at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."

When is a person most vulnerable to sin, depression, loneliness, fear, and defeat?In the darkness of night most people lose their battle with these attacks. Why?Jesus said, "And men love darkness rather light because their deeds are evil and they do not come to the Light ( God's presence) lest their deeds (actions, behavior) be reproved (exposed, revealed)."

In this passage of I Chronicles we see that even the wisest man of all times, King Solomon, knew the importance of prayer. When he dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem through sacrifices and praise, the Glory of the Lord came upon ALL who were there and each one fell to the ground in awe and wonder. When a person truly encounters the presence of Almighty God, he is unable to stand but must humble himself in a prostrate (bowing) position.

The first time prayer is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 4:26 b. In the beginning of civilization Cain killed his own brother Abel and the the descendants of Adam called on the Lord (prayed). The need is even greater today. The murders, the abuse of drugs and sex, as well as, the racial, spiritual, and economic discrimination lead individuals to despair or to the Lord in prayer.

True, there is no Temple in Jerusalem today, but the Apostle Paul tells us that all Christians are the Temple of God. Each must bring sacrifices of praise before the throne of the Everlasting Father through the name of the Lord Jesus. When there is no rain, no harvest, plagues and disease, floods and fire, God's family must pray.

Notice that it is those who are called by God's name that must humble themselves, PRAY, seek His face and turn from their wicked, selfish ways to reach the ears and heart of God.

The threefold promise is certain: God will hear from Heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land.

Jesus, Himself, the God-man ( Word Incarnate) prayed. He prayed at the Temple. He prayed before sending out His disciples, at the grave of Lazarus, for Peter not to lose faith, at the Last Supper, in Gethsemane, and even on the cross as He died for our sins.

Today the Risen Lord is praying in Heaven for believers who anticipate His soon return.

If Jesus the only sinless man who ever lived on earth needed to pray and commune with His Heavenly Father, how much more do we need to pray.

When Decyfer Down first began years ago, we spent much more time in prayer before our concerts. Maybe we were afraid of rejection or our own inadequacies, so we prayed fervently before and during the concerts. Sometimes in the middle of all our activity of travel, writing, performing, and meeting people, we and other artists need to renew our prayer life. We will be better instruments in the hands of the Holy Spirit, and those who see and hear will be healed of their darkness and despair. As we talk to the Lord, the words of one of our song prayers, "Life Again" becomes reality. Our prayer for you and all of us in the recording industry is for the breath of life to revive us together for the glory of the coming King.

-Caleb Oliver , Decyfer Down