Exodus 23-28 Matthew 28; Mark 1:1-45

I used to find the lists of rules in Exodus extremely boring, I’m sure I’m not the only one. Then, last year, I went through a Bible study on the Tabernacle in the Old Testament. For the first time, those lists of rules came to life for me. God had every single part of this Tabernacle planned, from the inside out. Every single part of this heaven on earth had a purpose. If you ever have time, A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore was a fascinating study. I learned so much while going through it. There are so many fascinating connections between the Old and New Testament. Things I’d be happy to tell you about, if anyone is interested.
All of this came back to me as I read through the tabernacle description today. I found myself wishing I could see this spectacular work of art for myself. But guess what? The same, intentional hand that created the tabernacle created you and me as well. Isn’t that amazing? As I look in the mirror today, I am, in fact looking at God’s dwelling place. He lives inside of me. I am an amazing work of art that was planned down to smallest detail. As are you.
What does being “God’s dwelling place” mean to you?
As God’s holy dwelling place, how are you living your life today and everyday?
I know for me, being God’s holy dwelling place, means that I have to stop being quite as critical of myself, and instead love myself the way God created me to be. As 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

Exodus 21-22; Matthew 27:51-66

As Jesus died on the cross, a few women stood nearby, caring for their Lord to the very end. Watching him die must have been excruciating for them. They must have been so hurt, grieved and confused… or did they have hope that he really would rise again? Did they understand that he was dying for each of them? Did they understand that he was saving the world from their sins?
Today, I have some things I need to lay before the cross. I have some things I need his blood to wash over and make whole again.
The world’s temptations can be so strong and so consuming. I’ve grown up in a society that puts such an emphasis on appearances and perfectionism. To the world I live in, there is a perfect body type, a perfect weight, and a perfect way to look. I don’t fit into any of these. Because I don’t, I’ve been taught that my whole life needs to revolve around obtaining this physical perfection. To the world, it doesn’t matter what I’m like on the inside, it’s only how I look on the outside. If I’m overweight I need to diet, if my skin is pimply I need to fix that, if I don’t have those clothes, I need to buy them. Even as a Christian girl, I seem to take what the world says as truth. Magazines, movies, television shows, even the Internet show me this image as something to obtain, at any cost.
To God, there is no such thing as gaining beauty or perfection. To him, I already am beautiful. As one of my favorite passages of scriptures states, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth” (Psalm 139:13-15).
He created every single part of me. I am no mistake. And so, once again, I need to lay the worldly image of what I should look like at the foot of the cross, and pick up a totally different image. This image is that of an imperfect girl, saved by faith. It’s the image of a work of art, made exactly as her creator wanted her to be. It’s the image of a girl who likes to be healthy, exercise, and wear pretty clothes, not to meet some “earthly perfection,” but because her body is home to something wonderful, the Holy Spirit: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
What do you need to lay at the foot of the cross today?

Love... does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

It was unintentional, but it still hurt. The words spoken weren’t meant to be spiteful, but they still struck a cord inside of me. Now the decision point comes. Do I tell this dear one that they hurt me, or do I hold it inside? As a peacemaker, my first choice would be to internalize and never tell this person how their words wounded me. But 1 Corinthians 13:6 says that love “rejoices with the truth.” If I internalized this hurt, I wouldn’t be doing myself, or this loved one any good. I would only be building a wall between me and this person, and causing more trouble in the future.

At times, it’s hard to be truthful with those we love, isn't it? Consider Psalm 15:1-4: “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts.”

Speaking the truth from the heart can be difficult. It can be painful. It can cause strife. But it can also cause healing.

What do you need to be truthful about today? What has God been saying to you? How can God bring healing to your relationships through love and truthfulness?

I’ll leave you with John 3:20-21: “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."