Key events in today’s reading:

• David becomes king and conquers Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 11:1-9)
• Bringing the Ark (1 Chronicles 13)
• The Ark is brought to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:25-29)
• God’s Promise to David (1 Chronicles 17)
• Preparations for the Temple (1 Chronicles 22)

Verse that stood out: Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his presence continually – 1 Chronicles 16:11

It’s Day 30 of this project of reading the Bible through in 90 days. That’s a third of the way through. Way to go! I’ve found the reading/listening to be a great intellectual exercise. No matter how often I read the Bible, there are still things I learn in each reading. I’m also reading through some books on ancient Israel that are supplementing my reading quite a bit.

As much as I enjoy gaining new information about the Bible, I’m cognizant of the fact that we don’t read the Bible just to learn information. As Christians we’re after more. We want to actually know God. We want to, as David writes, “Seek his presence continually.” For all David’s faults, this seems to be his defining characteristic, he wanted to know God.

Seeking God is easier said than done. My job concerns the things of God, and yet I can go all day without being aware of God’s presence. My guess is, that’s not a problem just for preachers.

In seminary, they taught us a few different kinds of prayers that were meant to help us focus on seeking God’s presence in our lives. One that’s been helpful to me is called The Examine. The Examine can take a few different forms, but it’s basically a time of reflection over one’s day in which you attempt to discover moments when you were aware of God’s presence.

To try this, take ten to fifteen minutes tonight before you go to bed and think through all that you did today. Ask yourself, “What part of the day was I most aware of God’s presence? What part of the day was I least aware that God was there?” Or, another way to ask these questions is, “What am I most thankful for today? What am I least thankful for?”

The Examine is really the practice of paying attention. We trust, after all, that God has indeed been with us. The question becomes, “When did I have my eyes open to that truth?”

For tomorrow:

Cover to Cover: 1 Chronicles 23:12 – 2 Chronicles 6:36

Key Passage: 2 Chronicles 3:1-17

Verse of the Day: 2 Chronicles 3:1