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On resting and stillness…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 31:12 Then the Lord said to Moses, 

The Israelites are coming off of 400 years of slavery to the Egyptians, where there was no One True God and no Sabbath rest. There was only work, work, and more work. God is trying to show the Israelites a better way, His way, which involves working FOR Him, sacrificing TO Him, and resting IN Him. 

Exodus 31:13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.

That rest–in His love, in His mercy, in His power–was not something they were familiar with while toiling under Egyptian rule. God is trying to reestablish the now-free Israelites in His sovereignty, which involves specifics for building, sacrificing, AND resting. 

Exodus 31:14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that while there is much work to do FOR You, we are also called to rest IN You. In this world of noise and motion, resting is hard. Help us all to find a way to be still in the chaos of this world and know that You are God (Psalm 46:10). Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 31:15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death.

Have a blessed day. 

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Anxious for nothing…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 31:6b Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: 

I am noticing a really troubling tendency within myself–I want to have a hand in all the things…every detail, every conversation, everything. Maybe I’m just really detail oriented (sort of), maybe I’m just nosy (probably); regardless, I have noticed that feeling like I need to know all the things leaves me feeling incredibly anxious, and I’m pretty sure it annoys others as well.

Exodus 31:7-8 the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, 

While reading today’s scripture, the phrase “I’m not God” popped into my head. I don’t need to know all the things, hear all the things, be a part of all the things. I know with certainty that He doesn’t want me to live in a state of anxiety. Phil 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Exodus 31:9-10 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that You didn’t create me to live in anxiety and fear (of getting it wrong, of missing out, of messing up). Help me to do what You have for me to do, to be compassionate and concerned for others, but not to take on what isn’t mine. Help me to be anxious for nothing, to give all things to You. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 31:11 and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”

Have a blessed day. 

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Engage in all kinds of crafts…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 31:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 

I am coming off a week of watercolor creativity at the beach, so the phrases “make artistic designs” and “engage in all kinds of crafts” (v 4-5) really resonate with my creative side. I love that God values creativity. After all, Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created….”

Exodus 31:2-3 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 

I’m not sure creative expression gets enough credit in daily life. Artists can create. Craftsmen can create. But ordinary people can create as well, and every creation can be an ode to the Creator, a little spark of thanks for the vision and ability to create for Him.

Exodus 31:4-5 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 

Precious Savior, I am no artist, no craftsman, yet You put that creative spark in my heart. Help me to create for You, to praise You in everything that I create, to thank You for the gift of creativity in everything my hands produce. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 31:6a Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him.

Have a blessed day. 

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Quiet time with God…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 30:34-35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. 

Commentary pointed out this morning that sacrifice and atonement were bloody, smelly businesses, so the fragrant spices discussed in this chapter had a very practical application at that time. I’m thankful that talking to God isn’t as arduous (and smelly) with Jesus in the mix.

Exodus 30:36 Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. 

I have a friend who says “The best cup of coffee is the one you enjoy.” I feel like that saying applies to prayer time as well. Incense, candles, quiet? Great! Coffee, recliner, computer? Have at it. The best quiet time with God is the one you enjoy (and the one that leads you to spend time in His presence).

Exodus 30:37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for removing the priests and the many, many types of sacrifices that existed between humans and God. Thank You that we can talk with You at any time, in any place, that we can come to You always–with our successes, our failures, our hurts. Thank You that You are with us always. Amen.

Exodus 30:38 Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.”

Have a blessed day. 

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Thank You, Jesus…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 30:30 “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. 

Holy Father, Thank You for sitting with me each morning as I read and study your word. Thank You for the desire to continue this habit, even when I struggle, even when I don’t understand. Thank You that You always meet me here.

Exodus 30:31 Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. 

Gracious Lord, Thank You that I can see evidence of You everywhere I look. Thank You for the “Godwinks” to remind me You are near. Thank You for loving me, even though I am so prone to forgetting to give my troubles to You.

Exodus 30:32 Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that with all the negative in this world, I can see evidence of You so easily, so clearly when I take the time to look. Help me, daily, to seek You, to look for You, to sit with You. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 30:33 Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.’ ”

Have a blessed day. 

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An aroma pleasing to God…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 30:22-24 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. 

As I was reading today’s verses, the phrase “an aroma pleasing to God” came to mind, and I am reminded of how important the sense of smell is just in the normal everyday sense. A setting can be as beautiful as anything you’ve ever seen, but if it stinks (think rotting fish, for instance), the beauty of the scene is completely lost. 

Exodus 30:25 Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. 

Similarly, I can make my life look as pleasing and as perfect as I want, but if the substance is rotten underneath, the aroma will not be pleasing to God. Don’t confuse this with a stinky attitude–those aren’t fun and aren’t great, but they also aren’t systemic. A stinky attitude is a temporary problem. A rotten core is a much bigger issue.

Exodus 30:26-28 Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that You care not only about what’s on the surface but also what’s underneath. You want my life to offer a pleasing aroma to You that can only come from a heart that reaches for You daily. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 30:29 You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.

Have a blessed day. 

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On formality and ceremony…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 30:17-18 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 

Exodus was written following the Israelites exodus from Egypt. For 400 years, they had been immersed in Egyptian gods and habits. God was reestablishing His presence and importance to a people who didn’t know Him as the only One, who were used to the practices of the Egyptians. 

Exodus 30:19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. 

I think the formality and ceremony was a part of that reestablishment, to put habits into place about how to worship God properly and reverently. I am thankful, though, that for me, I can see Jesus everywhere–in the sunrise, in the lapping of the ocean waves, in devotionals written by both people and AI. Jesus is with me, and all I have to do is look to see Him everywhere.

Exodus 30:20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, 

Precious Savior, Thank You for who You are and who You are to me. Thank You that I do not have to stand on ceremony to see Your presence, to worship You, to talk to You. Thank You for showing that You are with me in myriad ways every day. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 30:21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”

Have a blessed day. 

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Talking to Jesus…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 30:13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. 

This morning, I stood on the porch in the wind and cold and talked to Jesus as the sun peeked over the clouds on the horizon. There was no ceremony, no tax, no offering, just me with my thankful heart, talking to Jesus. 

Exodus 30:14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the Lord. 

I am beyond grateful for the personal, intimate relationship I have with Christ. I am so thankful that I don’t have to navigate the distance that the Israelites in Exodus do. I am so glad that I can talk to Jesus every moment of every day, to praise Him, to rail at Him, to beg Him for grace, mercy, forgiveness. 

Exodus 30:15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for my personal relationship with You. Thank You that You will meet with me, sit with me, talk with me any time. Help me to always make that time to sit in Your presence and listen to You. Amen.

Exodus 30:16 Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

Have a blessed day. 

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He is risen indeed…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 30:9 Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. 

This morning, a small group of us celebrated Easter Sunday services just after sunrise on the porch of a beach house. It’s a tradition for this crew, and Jesus is just as present with us on the porch as He is at every sunrise service held in cemeteries and sanctuaries all around. 

Exodus 30:10 Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.”

That, to me, is the beauty of God, of Jesus, of my relationship with the Trinity. We no longer have to have these rigid, specific ceremonies and sacrifices. God is with us, always. Jesus is with us, always–on the mountain tops, in the valleys, in cemeteries and churches and on the porch at the beach. He is risen. He is risen indeed. 

Exodus 30:11-12a  Then the Lord said to Moses, “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. 

Precious Savior, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. Hallelujah, You are risen. Amen.

Exodus 30:12b Then no plague will come on them when you number them.

Have a blessed day. 

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Holy Saturday…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 30:5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 

Today is Holy Saturday, a day of darkness and silence. Christ has died but is not yet risen, though, thankfully, we have the promise of His resurrection on Easter Sunday. It hurts my heart to think of His disciples and loved ones who didn’t have that hope, who only knew the reality of His death.

Exodus 30:6 Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

Holy Saturday, traditionally, is somber. The echo of the pounding nails from the Good Friday service are still ringing in our ears. The darkness at the end of that service still feels oppressive and complete. The danger, the fear is that we lose hope, that we forget that tomorrow at sunrise, His tomb will be empty, that He is not dead, that He is not gone, that He is our Risen Savior.

Exodus 30:7 “Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. 

Precious Savior, “As for me, I will always have hope. I will praise You more and more” (Psalm 71:14). Thank You for the hope of You, for the promise or Easter Sunday, for the reality that no matter how dark it feels, You are with us. Always. Thank You. Amen.

Exodus 30:8 He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.

Have a blessed day.