Exodus 26:7 and 14 - “Make curtains
of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether.
…Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red,
and over that a covering of the other durable leather.
God gave Moses very detailed instructions for making the
Tabernacle that would house his presence. He included the size….kind of thread
to weave…and even how to join each piece of cloth for the tent together. The
inner part of the structure was made with the finest materials…in colors fit
for royalty. Every piece that joined the
wooden and linen structure together overlaid with gold. The curtains embroidered with artistic impressions
of cherubim.
God did not leave the inner beauty of his tabernacle
unprotected from the elements it would face as they traveled. He gave instructions for a 3 layer covering
of goat hair…ram skin …and the outermost covering probably a durable leather.
I have to admit that I got lost and distracted with all the
details of this chapter. I tried to
summarize the math and found myself wondering what in the world God would be
trying to teach me with all these details. I had to google a couple of
commentaries for God to help me see the hidden message in all these
instructions.
God’s most precious possession…our heart…lives inside a
shell of protection. It is housed
underneath layers of skin and a specialized set of bones that keep it from
being damaged in normal wear and tear. Perhaps I work too hard trying to make
the outside covering he put me in look prettier. Pride … vanity…and the world’s
crazy standards try and make us women think we should pour our resources and
time into changing our outer shell.
It’s another reminder to me to spend more time making my
inside pure and godly….and spend less of my time and resources thinking of ways
to change my outer shell with makeup and hair color…and tanning products…and
high fashion clothes….and cute shoes. I am
doing better since retirement…I stopped coloring my hair…and I have even left
the house on a few occasions with no makeup at all. I shop less for clothes and shoes…replacing
things that are broken or worn out instead of just shopping to fill time.
Father…thank you for the reminder that your home needs to be
fit for the royalty you are. Help me to focus more on the inside of my heart…and
spend time with you learning how to keep it pure and holy. Forgive me for the
times that I have drifted into routines that focus on my outer covering…because
I think that it could be prettier…or more attractive to the world around me.
Show me how to make the inside of me something that you would be proud of. Amen.
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