A Work in Progress….

Exodus 27:1 “Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. 

The Ark of the Covenant is being built with gold and fine linens and so many expensive, beautiful things that it is incredibly easy to forget that the business of atonement in the Old Testament is incredibly bloody. Something about the commentary today reminded me of this fact.

Exodus 27:2 Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. 

God is holy and perfect. Man is flawed and sinful. The imagery of the pristine, shining temple contrasted with the blood and gore of the sacrifice of atonement–these images seem to have no place together, and yet, God loves us so much that He made a way for us to come back to Him when we have strayed, a way to be with Him, even though He is holy and beyond reproach and we are not.

Exodus 27:3 Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 

Precious Savior, Thank You feels wholly inadequate for my gratefulness for Your presence and Your sacrifice on my behalf. I cannot earn Your love, I could never be worthy of Your sacrifice, and yet, You love me anyway–fiercely and completely, and You ask me to love Your people as You love me. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 27:4 Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 26:34 Put the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. 

Commentary contained this gem: “The furniture in the holy place spoke of three great obligations of walking with God: prayer (the altar of incense), fellowship (the table of showbread), and to receive illumination (the lampstand).” Prayer, fellowship, and illumination or understanding…”The three great obligations of walking with God.” I like the sound of that.

Exodus 26:35 Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side.

Honestly, I think what I like is that someone has boiled down all the info, all the noise, all the possibilities into something I can easily hold on to. Too often, though, this sort of “boiling down” becomes an acceptable substitute for the original. Pretty soon, I no longer go back to the original (God’s Word) but start with the shortcut (in this case, commentary). That is, of course, a slippery slope.

Exodus 26:36 “For the entrance to the tent make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that even though wrestling with Your word can be exhausting, it is important and necessary. Help me to always use Your Word as my touchstone and not someone else’s opinions of Your word. Help me, Jesus. Amen. 

Exodus 26:37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 26:30 “Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain.

Other people can be exhausting. Working with other people, especially when you have a clear vision of how something should be or go, can lead to all kinds of conflict. Ironically, many times, that conflict springs from misunderstandings and miscommunications, but the destruction it can cause is very real.

Exodus 26:31 “Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. 

This vision of the tabernacle, recreated in Exodus in excruciating detail, should be pretty easy to recreate because of that level of detail. But if it is my passion project and I perceive that you are screwing it up, there will be problems.

Exodus 26:32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. 

Precious Savior, Working with others can be incredibly difficult, especially if I am so focused on my task that I lose sight of the feelings and opinions of others. Help me to see how to navigate my passion for a project with other people’s feelings so that we can accomplish the goal and keep our dignity intact. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 26:33 Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 26:26 “Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 

As I was digging today, trying not to lose my mind about the fact that God is still waxing eloquent on the minute details of the tabernacle, I was reminded that Israel and Aaron are not a part of this conversation. This is just God and Moses up on Mt Sinai.

Exodus 26:27 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 

As much as I am crawling out of my skin, dealing with all these specifics, chomping at the bit to move on, move forward, Israel and Aaron are at the base of the mountain, twiddling their thumbs. They are even more impatient than I am. And their impatience leads them to idolatry, to focusing on, to worshipping, the wrong thing. Jesus, Help me.

Exodus 26:28 The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that I have to keep a handle on my impatience or it could easily lead me away from You and into sin. This world is so loud. There are so many things clamoring for my attention. Help me to quiet my soul and listen to Your still small voice. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 26:29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 26:18-19 Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle and make forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 

Dear Lord, I find myself wanting to just parrot the words of commentary today simply because these verses are still dealing with so many little details and I am tired and frustrated. Help me to see this information with fresh eyes instead of with the frustration of a never-ending laundry list.

Exodus 26:20-21 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty frames and forty silver bases—two under each frame. 

Heavenly Father, I’ve got at least three more days in this book of Exodus and 14 more chapters in Exodus in total, and I already feel myself getting snippy and grumpy. Help me to breathe, to take a step back, to approach Your word with fresh eyes and a calm heart. 

Exodus 26:22-23 Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, and make two frames for the corners at the far end. 

Precious Savior, I don’t know why I’m struggling so with frustration with the content of this book. I don’t know why I’m grumpy and distracted and so ready to be done. Help me to lay my burdens at Your feet, to wrap Your peace around my shoulders, to draw closer to You, always. Amen.

Exodus 26:24-25 At these two corners they must be double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both shall be like that. So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 26:13 The tent curtains will be a cubit longer on both sides; what is left will hang over the sides of the tabernacle so as to cover it. 

I am still getting caught up in what feels like nitpickingly specific details, but Commentary says of these verses, “When these four layers of curtains were laid on one another, the result was a very dry and very dark tent. The only light came from the lampstand described in the previous chapter.” 

Exodus 26:14 Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather. 

The reminder, for me, is that God is in all those nitpickingly specific details. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He has promised to collect all our tears in a bottle. He has promised to be with us always. And all those little specificities are part of how He keeps His promise.

Exodus 26:15 “Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 

Precious Savior, Forgive me when I get frustrated with all the little details. Thank You that You care so much that You leave nothing to chance, that You weave in little “God-winks” to remind us that You are with us always. Amen.

Exodus 26:16-17 Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 26:9 Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. 

I often have a “hurry up and go” mentality. If I have something to do, give me all the info I need and get out of my way so I can get started and get done. I’m not cutting corners or anything, but I don’t need a day-long symposium on techniques, just give me the necessary details and move.

Exodus 26:10 Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. 

These sections of Exodus are anything but “hurry up and go.” There is excruciating detail here. And as I think about the why of that level of detail, I am reminded that the Israelites are coming from 400 years of captivity into freedom. They are coming from Egyptian gods to the One True God. And He is giving them everything they need to worship Him.

Exodus 26:11 Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for allowing me to slow down, to breathe, to think about why this level of detail might be included in Your scripture. More than that, thank You for loving all of us enough to be sure we understand Your heart and how to follow You. Amen.

Exodus 26:12 As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 26:5 Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. 

Today’s scripture has me thinking again about this year’s Lenten practice of noticing the little things, and how important that is, and how easy it is to get caught up in life and completely miss all the tiny “God winks” in a day because I am so focused on the big goal of what needs to be accomplished.

Exodus 26:6 Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit. 

Commentary also talks about the fact that the individual curtains joined together to make a whole, separate but unified, is a reminder that there is much “unity in diversity,” that we are all different, but together, we make a beautiful, strong, united whole.

Exodus 26:7 “Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether.  

Precious Savior, I think both of these truths You have laid on my heart are important. You know I get caught up in the big picture to the exclusion of all the tiny sparkles of joy and beauty You sprinkle throughout my day. You also know I can get caught up in the loop of independence that causes me to forget that You created us to be in community, that we are better together. Help me to always be mindful of these truths. Thank You. Amen.

Exodus 26:8 All eleven curtains are to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 26:1 “Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker. 

I have been upfront with my struggles about all the gold and specificity of the Ark of the Covenant. But I do understand that God is building a holy dwelling and that He is giving the Israelites something to hold onto.

Exodus 26:2 All the curtains are to be the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. 

And I understand the human need to have something to hold on to, a touchstone to help one feel grounded in life’s chaos. Life without that touchstone can be so hard.

Exodus 26:3 Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your loving kindness, for Your understanding of what we need, for the touchstones You’ve left for us so we can feel grounded. Help me, when I am at loose ends, to grab hold of You alone. Amen.

Exodus 26:4 Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 25:36 The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

Today finds me thinking about menorahs, their history, their symbolism. Commentary says modern menorahs are modeled after this description in Exodus.

Exodus 25:37 “Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it.

Menorahs make me think of candle light, and I have always loved the soft glow of candle light and the hope cast by the tenuous, wavering flame.

Exodus 25:38-39 Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the connections that occur when I focus on Your word and let my mind wander. And thank You for the tenuous, wavering flame of hope that can only come from You. Draw me closer. Amen.

Exodus 25:40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

Have a blessed day.