We all know the saying “I don't want to bore you with the details.” We are eager to get to the exciting part of the story, but the details are what make the story interesting. Without the details, there would be no story.
This is how I feel when it comes to reading about the Tabernacle in the Book of Exodus. I am a very visual person so reading all those numbers and measurements can make me confused. One day when I was at my friend's, Marianne, house, I saw that she was doing a bible study called “The Temple”, by Laurie Cole. Her study focuses on 1st Corinthians 6:19-20, “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore glorify God in your body.” I decided to buy the study.
While doing this study, chapter 3 really caught my attention, which is very strange because it is about details of the tabernacle. Usually when I read or hear about the Tabernacle, I tune it out. There are too many measurements and numbers to keep straight in my head and it is hard to keep my attention.
In this chapter, I learned that God was very detailed about how the Tabernacle was to be built. In Exodus 25:1-7, God said to Moses, “Tell the Israelite to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man who hearts prompt him to give.” These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver, bronze; blue, purple, scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skin died red, and hides of sea cow; acacia wood, olive oil for lights; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastplate.” Ex 25:1-7 NIV
He continues, “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all it furnishings exactly like the patterns I will show you.” Ex 25:8-9 NIV\
While traveling through the desert, the tabernacle was a mobile place the Israelite could go to worship God. The rest of the book of Exodus, God give specific instructions on how the Tabernacle was to be built. For the sake of time and to keep your attention, I will give you a synopsis of the building of the Tabernacle.
I like things to read very simple, so after reaching about the tabernacle, I found a website called Tabernacle Place. According to this website, “The tabernacle consisted of a tent-like structure, covered by rug-like coverings for a roof, and an external courtyard. The whole compound was surrounded by a high fence about 7 feet tall. The fence was made of linen hangings held by pillars. As we continue to read the Book of Exodus, God goes into details of how things were to be built and placed inside the tabernacle, including the Ark, the table, the lamp stand, and the Ark of burnt offerings. God used all these details of the Tabernacle, to illustrate His relationship with His people. God was looking for complete obedience from his people.
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| The Tabernacle. A place the Israelites could go to worship the Lord! |
Before doing this study I really had no idea the difference between the tabernacle and the temple. Through this study, I learned that David wanted to build a permanent structure for the Lord. David said “I am living in a beautiful ceder palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent.” 2 Sam 6:2
David was Israel king for 33 years, and died before he could build the temple. Even though it was King David desire to build the temple, his son, Solomon, became king and was the one to build the temple.
King Solomon built the temple 480 years after the people of Israel were rescued from Egypt. In 1st King 6 we read Solomon built the Temple that was 90 ft long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. The Lord appeared to Solomon saying, “Concerning the Temple you are building, if you keep all my decrees and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promises I have made to your father, David. I will live among the Israelite and will never abandon my people.” 1 Kings 6:12-13
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| The details of the Temple! |
The remaining of chapter 6 goes detail by detail of how the rest of the Temple was built. When Solomon was finished with the Tempe, he brought the Ark of the Lord into the Temple. They dedicated the Temple to the Lord and the Lord responded by saying, “I have heard your prayers and petitions. I have set this Temple apart to be holy-this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.” 1 Kings 9:2-3
God is in the details.
So what does the Tabernacle and the Temple have to do with us today. Well as Laurie Cole's points out 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore glorify God in your body.”
I want to tell you a couple stories of where I seen God in the details of my life.
This study caught my interest because I believe God gave me cerebral palsy for His glory. Since there are a few new faces from the last time I spoke, I will want to share a little of my background. In a family of 6 kids, my twin sister, Brooke and I, are the 2nd and 3rd oldest. Because of some complications at birth, I was born an hour and eight minutes after Brooke, which caused me to have cerebral palsy. Growing up with cerebral palsy was very hard, physically and emotionally. I would get teased a lot at school, and couldn't keep up with my sisters. I would often wonder why I got cerebral palsy, and nobody else did. Since my brother and sisters did a lot of sports, this also made me feel left out. I wanted to do everything they did. I believed there was a God, but had no idea He cared for me, or had a plan for my life. I often blamed God for my CP.
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God had a plan for this little broken girl!! I may have hated my CP growing up, but God has blessed me with it!
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In my third year of college is when I really where I realized that God was personal and cared for me. That year after having an emotional breakdown in class, my adviser told I needed to go see a counselor. For many years, I suffered with depression and anxiety, and feeling all alone in my disability. When I met the counselor, Mark, that day. He asked me if I believed in God. I told him I did. I had a few Christian friends in college. I was struggling with the relationship part. I also told him I hated my CP, and it wasn't fare that I got it, and nobody else did. During the 3 years of seeing Mark, he taught me that Jesus loved me for who I was, and that Jesus gave me CP. Mark also told me that God had a purpose for my life. I learned to tell tell myself the truth, that I was loved, accepted and created my Heavenly Father. Since then, I have fallen in love with Deuteronomy 7:6, “Of all the people on earth, the Lord, your God has chosen you to be His own special treasure.”
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"Of all the people on the earth, the Lord, your God has chosen you
to be His own special treasure." Deuteronomy 7:6
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God in My Details
As long as I can remember, I always knew I wanted to work with people with disabilities. I didn't really know how God would use me. When I graduated from college in 2005 I was going to move in with my college friends and help them with starting Young Life in a new area. I knew very little of Young Life at that time, I just knew I was going be a volunteer leader. There was talk of going to Malibu that year. I was excited to part of this “new” ministry. The Lord led me to live with my sister instead. About six months later, I moved to Iowa to be closer to my mom. I kind thought that the Young Life door was closed. After three long months of job searching in Iowa, the Lord may have had a different plan. During this time my YL friends, decided to also move down to New Mexico. She called me and told me she found a perfect job for me in Oregon at the Young Life camp. I told her I wasn't moving to Oregon.
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| Creekside!! Young Life camp!! never in a million years, would I thought I live here!! |
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| Some of us from Mark 2!! I love this ministry!! |
I came to the ranch nine years ago, to be the ladies job coach. One of the main jobs the ladies do is helping to keep camp clean. In order for kids to come and learn about Jesus, we are called to keep this place looking amazing. Whether it is folding towels in the washboard, making hospital corners on all the beds, or setting the tables in the iron kettle, we do it to show kids that God cares about the details.
After five years of job coaching, my body was telling me that it couldn't keep up anymore. I went to my boss and told her that I loved it here, but my body was getting worn out. At that time, one of our staff members was moving back home. She told me she didn't really want to hire full time for that position. She asked me if I wanted that position. Of course, I said yes, not knowing how God would provide financially. At the same time, I learned that to qualify for SSDI you had to work five full years, which was the exact number of years I had worked for Mark 2. I have been working part time for four years now. I am the healthiest and fullest I been since I came. God has done some amazing thing for me since going to part time, and have provided in the details I never would have imagined.
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| Since going to part time, I have had more time and energy to focus on my health! |
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| Who gets to live at a Young Life camp!!! oh yeah! ME!!! |
The other story I want to tell you has just happen in about the last month. I went to Bend in February and got a oil change. The people at Ford told me I needed to start looking for new tires. Knowing nothing about tires, but for the fact that our road eat them up, I asked Kory about tires. After learning about what to look for in a tire from Kory, I also asked Shirley, where Terry gets his tires. She told my Tire Factory in Madras. Also during this time, I was blessed by someone who gave me a check for new tires. I decided to go to the Tire Factory website to check out tires. I emailed them and told them that I lived on 18 miles of gravel road, and asked what would be a good tire for me. About five minutes later my phone rang. It was Tony from Tire Factory, saying he received my email. He said he had these tires, not the ones I was looking at, but a different set. He been wanting someone who has to drive on a lot of gravel to test them out. He said he personally owned these tires, they do great in all conditions, but he been curious how they do on a lot of gravel road. When he saw I lived on 18 miles of gravel road, he called to ask to be his guinea pig. He said he would sell all four tires to me for $500, if I would try them out. Three weeks ago I went to Madras on got my new tires.
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| Good tires are important out here! we live on 18 miles gravel road!! |
There are still details in my life that I wonder how God is going to work out. But the longer I follow Jesus and the more I learn about Him , I am realizing that He works out the details of our lives, to show us his glory. So as we leave tonight, how is God working in the details of your life.
I want to leave you with a song. This song was on the radio one day after I had an important appointment meeting in Bend. I totally saw God in the details of that appointment. a verse in the song that spoke to me was "Jesus is for me." He is for all of us, and want work out the details!
Jesus Love us. By Chris Tomlin
Here the Link!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CGkt67F2uI
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