A Work in Progress….

Exodus 37:6 He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.  

Today has me thinking about the details and about knowing your strengths and limitations. The hubs and I have been looking at wall paint and want to use white so that we can accent with color. Have you ever looked at the white paint selection at any paint retailer? The variety is truly overwhelming. 

Exodus 37:7 Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover.

Except that we have family who has a knack for interior design. Those ten thousand shades of white? She can see the subtle differences and can talk knowledgeably and excitedly about how those differences can affect the overall design. She has a gift in this area. I clearly do not.

Exodus 37:8 He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that You have given us each different gifts and different areas where our gifts are needed and appreciated. Help me to rejoice in the gifts I have and to use them for Your glory. Instead of grouching about the gifts I lack, help me to find the people who excel in those areas so that we can all shine for You. Amen.

Exodus 37:9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 37:1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.  

Today is graduation day at the high school where I taught for 30 years. It’s the first graduation in a very long time that I have not been required to attend. Thinking about the momentousness of this occasion a year after my own “graduation” (aka retirement) has me seeing and appreciating things that I missed last year at this time. 

Exodus 37:2-3 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 

And I wonder if that is not another benefit of this seemingly exhaustive rehash of the building of the tabernacle–the distance that they now have, the growth that allows them to see the same things differently with the aid of hindsight and maturity. 

Exodus 37:4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that not only do the details matter, but that as we grow and mature as people, as Christians, we can see the “same old things” through new eyes, appreciating aspects we missed before. Help me always see life through Your lens. Amen.

Exodus 37:5 And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 36:33 They made the center crossbar so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames. 

A sweet friend commented on yesterday’s reflection that the fact that we are seeing all these details yet again, the fact that all these little details even matter, is “confirmation that God is in the details of our lives.” I love that idea.

Exodus 36:34 They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. They also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

I am one to give thanks to Him for a parking spot close by, for a bathroom stop exactly when I need it, for the perfect song coming on when I’m low, or a rainbow or a text or a kind word exactly when I’m struggling most, for so many seemingly random things that feel like gifts. Some say that God doesn’t deal in the details like that, but I think He does and praise Him for it.

Exodus 36:35-36 They made the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for them and cast their four silver bases. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the insight that details matter and that You are in the details of our lives. Thank You, with yet one more look at all the minute details of the tabernacle, for the reminder to slow down and appreciate all the little details in my day. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 36:37-38 For the entrance to the tent they made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer; and they made five posts with hooks for them. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 36:27-28 They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end. 

I’ve been doing a bit of internet searching as I try to find meaning in all these details. One of Google’s AI Overview takeaways is that details matter. And I can see that. It makes me think of celebrating someone’s birthday. If you just stick a random candle in whatever is handy, that’s not very special. 

Exodus 36:29 At these two corners the frames were double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both were made alike. 

There’s no intention. There’s no forethought. There’s no planning. Google’s AI goes on to say that “[God] asks for the best of our efforts and first fruits rather than our leftovers.” Intention. Forethought. Planning. Setting aside time, putting in effort, making it special. That makes complete sense to me.

Exodus 36:30 So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

Precious Savior, Thank You for the unlikely places that can give insight (like Google’s AI) and for the understanding that details matter, that You want our “first fruits rather than our leftovers,” that You want us to put time and effort into our relationship with You. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 36:31-32 They also made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 36:20 They made upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 

Today, I’m going to be incredibly honest. I cringed a bit when I realized that I have allllllllll these details of the tabernacle to wade through AGAIN. It’s exhausting the level of detail the author goes through.

Exodus 36:21-22 Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 

Honestly, I guess I can understand the original exhaustive detail because God was detailing specifications for what should be built, but, as commentary said just before verse 14, what’s here (until almost the end of Exodus) is just the “pious priest’s” recounting. Sigh.

Exodus 36:23-24 They made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle and made forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 

Precious Savior, I do not want to dread my morning time with You and with Your word. Help me to find a way to make peace with this exhaustive list, to look beyond the surface so that I can see truths about who You are and who You are to me as I read. Help me, Jesus. Amen. 

Exodus 36:25-26 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames and forty silver bases—two under each frame.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 36:15 All eleven curtains were the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. 

From verse 14 through the end of Exodus 36, commentary has not one word to say about this rehashing of these exhaustive specifications. And, honestly, I am afraid to look ahead to see if that changes because we still have four more chapters and I know this rehash continues for quite a while. 

Exodus 36:16 They joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another set. 

But the extensive rehash has me asking, with so much that was left out of the Bible, so many books that didn’t make it in, why is this here? Why did the relisting of the specifications of the build make the cut? I feel like there’s a story here.

Exodus 36:17 Then they made 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. 

Precious Savior, I know that Your thoughts are not my thoughts and Your ways are beyond anything I can imagine (Is 55:8), so when I come across things like this repetition, which doesn’t make sense to me, I get curious. Thank You for that curiosity. Draw me closer as I keep reading, studying, seeking You. Amen.

Exodus 36:18-19 They made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the tent together as a unit. Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather. 

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 36:11 Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set. 

Commentary says that this section begins a recounting, almost to the end of Exodus, of the actual building of the tabernacle, details for which have already been expounded on quite thoroughly. Oh boy.

Exodus 36:12 They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. 

There were many times throughout my teaching career when I was just “over it” –the drudgery, the thanklessness, the ridiculousness, all of it, where I prayed repeatedly, “Open a door, Lord, any door, and I’ll walk through it. Just show me where You want me.” He never did open another door.  Sometimes He calls us to keep going in the monotony, to hold the course.

Exodus 36:13 Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit.

Precious Savior, Forgive us when we get frustrated with the status quo. If You are using that to move us in a different direction, help us to understand. If You need us to keep going despite the drudgery, help us to understand that, too. Help us to keep putting one foot in front of the other, trusting You with each step. Amen.

Exodus 36:14 They made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 36:6-7 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

Again, this breathtaking idea that we don’t need any more donations because we have enough to do the work. I sincerely think that this is what Jesus wants us to strive for–all of us giving of our time, talents, and resources in such a way that the needs are met. If it were only that easy. 

Exodus 36:8 All those who were skilled among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by expert hands. 

But I don’t think Jesus wants us sitting around lamenting the fact that that is not the way the world works. So what are we to do? At the moment, what God’s laying on my heart is to find a way to use the time, talents, and resources that I have to give to those who need them. The question becomes how to do that. Help me, Jesus.

Exodus 36:9 All the curtains were the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. 

Precious Savior, I know beyond a doubt that there are needs to be met that I am uniquely qualified to meet. Help me to find those needs so that I may be Your hands and feet in the way You designed me to be. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 36:10 They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 36:1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”

The words of the very last verse catch my attention this morning: “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.” The idea of having “more than enough for doing the work” is breathtaking to me. I truly think that’s what God intended. You need something? I’ve got it. Here you go. 

Exodus 36:2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 

So what keeps us from that reality? Scarcity mindset, definitely, and the fear that comes with it. Wanting to be the best or get ahead or keep an advantage may play a role. Folks taking advantage, not doing their part, working the system, probably takes a toll as well. 

Exodus 36:3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 

Precious Savior, I cannot change the world. But I can change myself, my mindset. I know that I struggle with giving and generosity because of a scarcity mindset. Help me to do my part in this world so that we can eventually have “more than enough for doing the work” that You have called us to do. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 36:4-5 So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.”

Have a blessed day.