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A loving reminder…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 37:26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 

This morning has me back in the scripture and my search of: “What does the Bible say about being still?”. Philippians 4:6 (Be anxious for nothing….) and Psalm 131:2 (But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother….) are resonating today.

Exodus 37:27 They made two gold rings below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 

And a meme comes to mind as I ponder, “God said, ‘Be still and know,” not “Freak out and question everything.” God calls me not to be anxious, not as a chastisement because of my anxiety spiral, but as a loving reminder to come to Him. He has given me all the tools to calm and quiet my soul in Him. 

Exodus 37:28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

Precious Savior, Thank You that I know with certainty that You are not chastising me, You are encouraging me. You want me to be successful in calming my soul in You. Forgive me that I’m still such a novice. Thank You for the reminder and encouragement. In You, I’ll get there. Amen.

Exodus 37:29 They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.

Have a blessed day. 

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On anxiety spirals and waiting in hope…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 37:22 The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

I’m still working on trying to be still, trying to notice all the little details, trying to rest in God instead of hurrying and striving. Honestly, it’s frustratingly difficult for me at this point, which frustrates me further. and I’ve noticed recently an anxiety spiral within myself, one I don’t like and am actively trying to understand.

Exodus 37:23 They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 

So, this morning, to the end of stopping said anxiety spiral, I googled “What does the Bible say about being still?” and just seeing the many, many verses about being still in Him and waiting in hope for Him helped me breathe a bit easier. Psalm 62:5 spoke to me particularly this morning, “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.”

Exodus 37:24 They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent of pure gold.

Precious Savior, Thank You for helping me to turn to You and Your word when I feel my anxiety begin to spiral. Thank You for putting Psalm 62:5 in my path this morning. Help me to get better at waiting in silence and hoping in You alone. Amen.

Exodus 37:25 They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high —its horns of one piece with it.

Have a blessed day. 

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On light and hope…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 37:18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 

Today’s scripture has me thinking about light and darkness and how completely even the smallest light can disrupt even the deepest darkness. Don’t believe me? Look at a small blue pinprick of light in the middle of the night in a dark room–that tiny light casts an incredible glow. 

Exodus 37:19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 

John 1:5 says “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” That light is God. Even in the darkest night, God’s presence, His power, His goodness overcomes the darkness, obliterates it. And His light gives us hope.

Exodus 37:20 And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for helping me to understand the power of light and hope. Thank You for the knowledge that You are the light in the darkness, always, that You will keep the darkness from overcoming us, that even a small ray of Your light, Your hope, is all it takes. Help me to always hold on to Your Hope. Amen.

Exodus 37:21 One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all.

Have a blessed day. 

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What God is calling me to…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 37:14 The rings were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 

That anxiousness, that feeling of “hurry up and lets goooooooooo,” is still simmering just under the surface this morning, and it makes me wonder, again, if I have lost the ability to slow down, to breathe, to just be and notice and observe what’s around me. 

Exodus 37:15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. 

And, again, I wonder if maybe that’s what God is calling me to right now–Slow down. Sit a spell. Breathe. Look. Listen. Our society certainly doesn’t encourage us to cultivate that, so I wonder what God is calling me to with this pull.

Exodus 37:16 And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.

Precious Savior, I feel Your still, small voice, whispering to my heart, telling me to slow down, to breathe, to pay attention. Doing that is so much harder than it used to be for me. Help me, Jesus. Help me. Amen.

Exodus 37:17 They made the lampstand of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.

Have a blessed day. 

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On stillness and knowing…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 37:10 They made the table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. 

I find myself growing impatient at this point in Exodus, wanting to rush, to hurry. We’ve seen all of this before, so let’s just move on. And yet, I can hear Jesus whisper to my heart, “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10). 

Exodus 37:11 Then they overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. 

And it occurred to me that, at this point in my life, I have an incredibly difficult time being still, breathing, centering myself, just noticing the minute details in life. And perhaps that is what God is calling me to do in this moment. Seek Him. Breathe Him in. Observe His presence. Notice His goodness. 

Exodus 37:12 They also made around it a rim a handbreadth d wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 

Precious Savior, Help me to be still and know that You are God, to be still and notice that Your presence and goodness and love are all around me. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 37:13 They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were.

Have a blessed day. 

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Know your strengths…. (devo reflection)

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. 

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The benefit of hindsight…. (devo reflection)

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. 

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God is in the details…. (devo reflection)

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. 

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The details matter…. (devo reflection)

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. 

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Making peace…. (devo reflection)

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.