Today's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Exodus 36-38; James 4
In our reading out of Exodus, we read about how the Israelites were instructed to build the tabernacle, as well as the Ark, Table, Lampstand, Alter of Incense, Alter of Burnt Offering, Bronze Basin and the Court. This task was given to the Levites, and it must have been both an honor to be entrusted to do this, as well as a little stressful. As a homebuilder I know the importance of a blueprint - a few small miscalculations in measurements can lead to a large problem when finishing off the job sometimes.
It must have been an honour to be chosen to do this job, and God provided all the workmen and materials needed, even an abundance as mentioned early in our reading. With the specific instructions that were given, there must have been a little pressure felt to make sure the job was done right, especially when considering who this was for and what the Tabernacle was to be used for.
In our reading out of James, I notice it talks about our own arrogance and selfishness. It mentions this at the beginning when it talks about us wanting worldly items which leads to us sinning (verse 2). Then the passage moves on to warn us about how we speak, and again not to think of ourselves as above others by judging them. Finally it talks at the end about us boasting about what we're going to do, acting like we're in control when really God is in charge.
This is both a reminder to me, and a lesson, that I need to be more humble. Everything I have is from God and everything I do is thanks to God allowing it. We're just small parts, God is everything.
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The thing I noticed is that the phrase "to carry it with them" repeated again and again. It made me think that God never really wants us to stay in one place. He wants us to be mobile, to be ready to move at His prodding, to not grow comfortable in our surroundings. We need to be ready to move as God leads us because we do not know what the future holds.
This connects with one of the verses from James:
"yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes"
A mom from Kaden's hockey team had a stroke a few weeks ago. It was a sudden incident that will, no doubt, change their family. While we pray and hope for a full recovery, we do not know what the future holds for her and what the journey ahead will bring. For any of us our future is really unknown. It reminds me of one of my favourite verses: "We can make our plans but the Lord determines our steps" (Proverbs 16:9)
May we be ready to carry everything with us and move to where God wants us to be for as long as He does until he calls us home.
"Instead you ought to say, "If The Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." James 4:15
Often I look into the future to plan something out. Retirement, summer vacation, what to make for supper. (okay not so much the last one). It reminded me that everday we have is a gift from God and not to be taken for granted.
We plan and God laughs.
Although we need to always keep in mind that we should plan. We have many gifts and we should use them and we should plan so as not to waste them. However, we shouldn't become determined those plans happen because then we could be missing what we should be doing.
After the debacle of the golden calf, it was refreshing to read of the Israelites' generosity in bringing materials for the building of the tabernacle.
What an honour and responsibility it would have been to build the tabernacle and all it's furnishings. A reminder that our skills have also been given to us by God to use for His glory, and in the manner He wants us to use them.
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