Tabernacle

I just got home from my class at the college - Business Math - UGH!!!!! My mind is going to be stretched doing this class. Percentages and commissions and interest rates and ..... Oh man! I have been sitting here trying to put all the numbers out of my head for now so that I could sit down and spend sometime with you. Although if anyone can figure out how many miles it will take for George to travel before he meets Henry each traveling at different speeds and going in opposite directions ... let me know! (I’m just kidding)

Now that the silliness is out of the way I wanted to take you to a new spot today if I can. It will really require your imaginations to be on. Come with me for a minute into the tabernacle. The tent of meetings that God told the Israelites to build. The dwelling place of God while they were in the desert.

First off you have to picture yourself out in the desert surrounded by sand and rocks - maybe some Joshua trees and some bushes. God has given Moses His instructions on how to construct all the furniture and the priestly garments. I would like to encourage you to read the passage for yourself there in Exodus chapters 35 - 40. Now I must warn you - if you don’t take the time to really read it ~ you’ll miss the majesty and the beauty that is there.

Anyway back to the desert~ God gave the instructions and Moses passed them on to the people. The people worked hard and did all that God had told them to do. But what I want you to see is the splendor and the radiance that had to have been there when it was finished. The furniture was overlaid with Gold and Bronze. The curtains were from blue and purple and scarlet, twisted fine linen. The priestly robes and garments had gold thread in them. The breastplate had gemstones on it.

Can you imagine what the room looked like when the light hit it? The shine from the gold and silver and the bronze? The priestly garments must have taken ones breath away as he stood there in all his finely crafted attire. We look at a gold ring on someone's finger and see the beauty in that small amount. But to see that much in one place? Wow!

The people followed God’s specific instructions. It appears they did it from a heart that was touched by God. They wanted to give God their best and from what we can see ... they succeed. It says that Moses inspected the work and say that they had done everything as God had told them.

I can’t imagine what that was like! Here they were out in the middle of nowhere building this beautiful tabernacle for their God! But you know what is even more amazing? It says that God came down and dwelt there in the tabernacle! Do you realize what that means?? It means that God accepted what they had done! The people had worked!  They did everything just as they had been told! They did their part and waited for God to come . . . and He did~

“How lovely is Your dwelling place oh Lord Almighty.... I sing beneath the shadow of Your wing. Better is one day in Your courts! Better is one day in Your house!”

I wonder ... what would be different in my life if I gave Him all of me?

Do I give Him my best out of my gratitude?

Out of my love for Him?

Do I act out of obedience and do all He asks?

Humm - think I will leave it there for now.

Enjoy the view ~ soak it in but let it change you - let it make a difference.

Originally Written 1/16/02