Lord, Help Me Prepare

We sing a beautiful old song,
 “Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for You”

​I love this song and have many wonderful memories of singing it in church, but the phrasing of this song puts all the work of preparation on God. There are many in scripture where we see the importance of a person's preparation.

It took 7 years to build Solomon’s temple. Even before that David had been setting up supplies. I am sure once the last piece was in place, Solomon didn’t say, “Ok let’s bring in the Ark of the Covenant.” 2 Chronicles 5-7 tells of the dedication celebration Solomon had. It says all the men of Israel assembled.

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4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. 5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that [were] in the tabernacle, these did the priests [and] the Levites bring up. 6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy [place, even] under the wings of the cherubims: ... 11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy [place]: (for all the priests [that were] present were sanctified, [and] did not [then] wait by course: 12 Also the Levites [which were] the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, [being] arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers [were] as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up [their] voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: that [then] the house was filled with a cloud, [even] the house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God. - 2Ch 5:4-7, 11-14 KJV

​This was one of two times during the dedication that the presence of God was so strong. This time the priests couldn’t minister. The second time was in chapter 7 after Solomon’s prayer of dedication. The fire of the Lord consumed the sacrifices.

1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house. - 2Ch 7:1-2 KJV

This wasn’t something Solomon did on a whim. This was years of dedication and work. Years not just building but preparing the ministers and the tools for ministry. God honored that preparation with a mighty showing of His Presence.

Solomon also learned from his father’s mistakes. David was so excited to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. He gathered his chosen men and a new cart. They were going to bring the Ark home. They had a desire, passion and excitement for what they were doing. There were instruments and singing. The cart was going to carry the Ark home. As the oxen pulled the Ark, it  jostled. To keep it from falling a young man named Uzza simply reached  his hand out to steady the Ark. God struck him down dead. That put an abrupt halt to the celebration. David stopped the precession. Three months later David would go about the move differently.

12 And said unto them, Ye [are] the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, [both] ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto [the place that] I have prepared for it. 13 For because ye [did it] not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. 14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. - 1Ch 15:12-14 KJV

This time they would not lean to their own ideas, but follow God’s plan for moving the Ark.

God told Elijah to go talk to King Ahab. It was time for Israel to make some decisions. Who were they going to serve, God or Baal. They called an assembly. “Let the God who answers by fire, let HIm be God.” Elijah just doesn’t toss the sacrifice on the ground. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been broken, then he built an altar.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid [him] on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour [it] on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34 And he said, Do [it] the second time. And they did [it] the second time. And he said, Do [it] the third time. And they did [it] the third time. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 36 And it came to pass at [the time of] the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou [art] God in Israel, and [that] I [am] thy servant, and [that] I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou [art] the LORD God, and [that] thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that [was] in the trench. - 1Ki 18:31-38 KJV

He built a new altar. He prepared the sacrifice. Look closely at verse 36. “And it came to pass at the time of the offering of evening sacrifice.” This was the time that God had set for sacrifices to be done every evening in the temple. When our preparation and God’s timing come together, His fire will fall. But the fire will not fall on a sacrifice an altar wasn’t built for. We can sacrifice “for God” all we want, but unless we prepare an altar God won’t accept it.

We can get so spoiled. We go into a service and just expect to have God move. Expectation and passion are important, but what about our preparation before we came in the church doors. Do we wait till we get to church to prepare our hearts. Are church services the only space we allow God to work.

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. - Luke 6:38 KJV

We always focus on good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over. The last part of that verse has been sticking in my heart lately. I like how the ESV states it, “for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” If I measure generously to God, He will measure generously with me. If I am stingy with my time and resources, God will give back to me just what I give. We want God to be abundant with us, but if we haven’t prepared abundantly there is not the space for His abundance. That I would take my time, talents and efforts and focus them on God. When I come into service, that I would have prepared my heart and mind already. The altar and sacrifice of my life would be ready for God to light the fire. Instead of saying Lord prepare me; let me say instead Lord, help me prepare for you.

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