getting through the blah
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"then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." exodus 40:34
let me tell ya - it took me awhile to get to this verse!!! in my bible reading plan, the assignment was exodus 37-40. i started it on friday and didn't finish it until monday! why? because i was finding it immensely boring... really. yes, i was troubled by that. yes, i knew i should be reading more. yes, i was saying 'God, all of Your Word is inspired, why is this here?'
but still, the minute details of making the ark, making the table, making the lampstand, making the altar of incense, making the altar of burnt offering, making the bronze basin, making the court, the materials for the tabernacle, making the priestly garments... let me just say - it was dragging. and i wanted to say "i get it, they made it all, let's just move on!!!"
yesterday, though, i bit the bullet. i prayed, 'God, help me to get something, anything out of this.' and well, in chapter 39 i started to see something. "as the Lord had commanded moses" - this phrase started to appear. not once, not twice... 17 times in chapters 39-40! now, it doesn't take a genius to notice: this must be important - everything was done as the Lord commanded... and then the payoff at the end of chapter 40? the glory and presence of the Lord to lead and guide His people!
and so i thought about it. sometimes this whole obedience thing can seem pretty drab. sometimes obeying God can even feel like going through the motions. love your neighbor, have the attitude of Christ, work with all your heart, etc. etc. etc. BUT the payoff is well worth it: eternal glory that far outweighs them all!!! (read psalm 73 if you want to do some more research/thinking on this topic OR if you're just feeling blah)
cs lewis puts it well in 'the weight of glory', "the reward he is going to get will, in actual fact, be a natural or proper reward, but he will not know that till he has got it. of course, he gets it gradually; enjoyment creeps in upon the mere drudgery, and nobody could point to a day or an hour when the one ceased and the other began. but it is just in so far as he approaches the reward that he becomes able to desire it for its own sake; indeed, the power of so desiring it is itself a preliminary reward."
- God, help me to keep going!
Posted by timmy5jack
at 9:29 AM EDT
Updated: Friday, 27 October 2006 4:26 PM EDT