For reasons that are important to God, he saw fit to include minute details regarding tabernacle worship in the eternal witness of the Bible. Perhaps in doing that God is reminding us that he cares about the minute details of our lives, too; that we are his holy people—set us apart and sanctified as sacred instruments of God-honoring worship. So much so is God blessed by your holiness that he will even help you on this day to present a holy life before him, even in the details, as Exodus 38:3 describes, even in the pots and pans and utensils of your life.
The Journey // Focus: Exodus 38:21
The reading in Exodus today isn’t all that exciting to me, frankly. I found my mind wandering to my “to do” list for the day ahead as my eyes passed over the minutiae of the endless list of strange Tabernacle furnishings. Why would I care about “horns overlaid with bronze at the four corners of the altar”? How will details about the “pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans” (Exodus 38:3) provide wisdom for dealing with heady spiritual issues or direction for leading my church toward a glorious future? All this stuff sounds more like a packing list for a camping trip!
But wait…the Lord is in the details!
For reasons that are important to God, he saw fit to include these details in the eternal witness of our Holy Scriptures. Perhaps God is reminding us that he cares about the details of our lives, too, just as he did about the implements of worship for the tabernacle. Maybe he is reminding us through this inventory that we are his holy people; he has set us apart, sanctified us, as sacred instruments of worship.
And, just like the details of tabernacle worship, he cares about the details of our worship. He cares because he is a holy God and he longs for a people who are a holy people who can experience closeness and intimacy with him through the pathway of their worship.
Reading about these ancient artifacts and building plans in Exodus and the archaic sacrificial rituals in Leviticus quickly reminds us that this holy God is very concerned that we, his people, have been selected and set apart for his holy purposes. As we come before God in worship and as we serve God with our daily lives, he doesn’t want our second-rate stuff or sin-tainted lives. He demands, and he deserves, our very best, even in the smallest details.
Given your sin nature and the tendency of your heart to wander, perhaps that sounds to you like you will never be a holy implement of worship. But the good news is that Father God, through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ, has cleansed you from all unrighteous and has purified you in holiness. Through his blood, he has made a way into the Holy of Holies; through is death, he ripped the veil separating you from the unapproachable holiness of God. As a Christian, you stand before God in the righteousness of Christ. Yes, you are holy! And that is not due to your own efforts or inherent worthiness. It is all because of God’s mercy and grace.
Yet the truth is, that while your position before God is holy, your walk before him is not always so pure. That is why, on an ongoing, if not daily basis, you ought to surrender your mind—how you think, your heart—what you desire, your hands—what you do, and all your ways down to the minute details of your being to his cleansing power.
God demands daily holiness from you, because he has set you apart to glorify and represent him with your whole life. What an honor that you have been chosen for that purpose! And the God who chose you deserves holiness as your reasonable act of worship. Because of who God is, and for all that he has done to save you, sanctify you and select you, holiness is the very least that you can offer to him.
I have a feeling that even though God demands and deserves your holiness, deep down, as a redeemed believer, holiness is what you desire to give God. And you should know this: that even though you don’t always achieve holiness in your thoughts, feelings and actions, your desire to be holy pleases your Heavenly Father’s heart. So much so is God blessed by your heart’s desire that he will help you this day to present to a holy life before him, even in the details, even in the pots and pans and utensils of your life.
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