Month: April 2026

Exodus 30:1 “Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. 

Holy Father, Today is Good Friday, the day of Your death for my sins. It ends in darkness and silence “as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Be with us in the silence and the darkness of grief and uncertainty as only You can.

Exodus 30:2 It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. 

Dearest Lord, “It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming” is a powerful refrain these days–sermons, songs, lots of reminders that Your death on Good Friday is not the end, that Sunday is coming, hope is coming, resurrection and restoration are coming. Help us, no matter what we are going through, to hold on to Your hope.

Exodus 30:3 Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for who You are and who You are to me. Thank You for the example of love, grace, and compassion You have for us on this Good Friday. Help us to love others as powerfully and completely as you do. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 30:4 Make two gold rings for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 29:43 there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.

The end of this chapter revealed an important element to all of this planning, preparing, and consecrating. As commentary puts it, “what we do is remove barriers and spend time with the focus on Him.” All of the preparation, all of the work, it’s as much to prepare US as it is to prepare FOR Him. 

Exodus 29:44 “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. 

As I think about it, while my preparation looks completely different, I still prepare for Him each morning. I make my coffee, read my daily reflection, read the scripture, read the commentary, ponder, write. All of that preparation “removes the barriers” so that I can more clearly “focus on Him.”

Exodus 29:45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for this clarity today. I have been struggling mightily with these last few chapters, with the minutiae and the bloodiness. Thank You for clarity and understanding today that it’s about removing barriers so I can better focus on You. Help me to do that every day. Amen.

Exodus 29:46 They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 29:39 Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight. 

Verse 42 carries the important bit in this long list of “do this, do this, do this, do this”: “There I will meet you and speak to you.” THIS is what it is all about–all the sacrifices, all the specifics, all the minutiae is so that God will meet us and speak to us.  

Exodus 29:40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. 

He wants that relationship. He wants us to want that relationship. He won’t force it, and He’s pretty specific about the requirements (though Jesus eased those tremendously), but God wants relationship with us. He wants to meet us and speak with us daily. 

Exodus 29:41 Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.

Precious Savior, Help me to never lose sight of what a gift it is that You want relationship with me. Help me to nurture that relationship daily, to sit with You, meet with You, speak with You every single day. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 29:42 “For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you;

Have a blessed day.