Category: Psalm

Exodus 39:15 For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 

“But – we hope, we hope, we hope….” This line was in a mass email from an Irish poet whom I very much enjoy, and it is resonating with me this morning. My soul feels rather heavy with unexpected loss that only tangentially affects me and bureaucratic nonsense that I have tried to work within my entire career. 

Exodus 39:16 They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. 

Is anything worse today than yesterday? No, but, again, it just feels really heavy this morning, so those words by that poet were exactly what I needed. And they remind me of why my faith is so important to who I am. It reminds me of Psalm 71:14 “As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.”

Exodus 39:17-18 They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 

Precious Savior, Some mornings hope is hard to come by and life feels inordinately heavy. Thank You for reminders, for hope, in the unlikeliest of places. Thank You for Your love, Your peace, and Your calming presence. Help me to live Psalm 62:5, even when life feels heavy: “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” Amen.

Exodus 39:19 They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod.

Have a blessed day. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Exodus 29:23 From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the Lord, take one round loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf.

I woke up this morning with Naomi Raine’s song “God Will Work It Out” running through my mind, which is ironic because I’ve listened to it only a handful of times in my life.

Exodus 29:24 Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.

It’s a catchy song, though, and the bridge is incredibly similar to a breath prayer: “Be still/Be still, my soul/Be still and know my God/ He’s in control, He’s in control”.

Exodus 29:25 Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord, a food offering presented to the Lord.

Precious Savior, Thank You for allowing me to wake up with this song of praise in my head. Help me to remember that whatever the day brings, You are in control, You will work it out. I just need to be still. Amen.

Exodus 29:26 After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron’s ordination, wave it before the Lord as a wave offering, and it will be your share.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 18:1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

Verse 1 has me, once again, thinking about God-stories and how sharing how we see God showing up in our lives is such a blessing, to us and to others. Just this week I have seen the power of sharing our God-stories with others, how those stories lead to other stories and to encouragement and hope.

Exodus 18:2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her 

And now I am thinking of Psalm 71:14, “As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.” I can’t help but think that sharing those God-stories, that encouragement, makes God happy as we praise Him and encourage each other.

Exodus 18:3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; 

Precious Savior, Help us never underestimate the power of sharing our God-stories. Thank You for the hope and encouragement that comes from sharing with each other reminders of how You show up for us in our lives. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 18:4 and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 16:28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 

The first thing that comes to mind about verse 28 is that God’s yelling at Moses because the Israelites aren’t behaving, which feels grossly unfair. It’s a knee-jerk reaction on my part to be sure. Moses is the leader of the Israelites, and he did tell God no several times even before he said yes.

Exodus 16:29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 

The second thing that snags my attention is verse 30. I wonder what that rest looked like for the Israelites. Were they able to “Be still and know” that God is God (Ps 46:10)? Was it a forced stillness where they had to continually reign in their errant thoughts? Were they able to relax, focus on, and praise God on the seventh day?

Exodus 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Precious Savior, Thank You for the thoughts and questions that come to me as I read Your word. Each day, help me to learn more about who You are, who You are to me, and who I am to You. Help me to draw closer, to shine Your light, to be still and know You are God. Always. amen.

Exodus 16:31 The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 14:13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 

Exodus 14:14 is a favorite of mine, and it always makes me think of Psalm 46:19 “Be still and know that I am God….” Both talk about the need to be still in the Lord, to know Him, to trust Him. For many, myself included, that being still part can be incredibly difficult.

Exodus 14:14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

I’m a huge “God helps those who help themselves” person, which implies that I have to go, to do, to work. And if I’m honest, I know that underneath all that busy-ness is the hope that somehow it is enough, that somehow I’ve done enough, that, hopefully, I’ve done my part, which always makes me wonder if I’m not still missing the directive to “Be still…” in the Lord.

Exodus 14:15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 

Precious Savior, You call me to be Your hands and feet in this world. You also call me to “Be still” in You, in Your presence, in Your goodness, and to know that You are God and You are all I need. As You know, I struggle, mightily, with the balance between stillness in You and working for You. Know that my heart is Yours. Help me to find stillness in You. Amen.

Exodus 14:16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

Have a blessed day.