God's To-Do List
My wife is a list maker. She makes lists of lists. Things that she needs to do. Things that she needs to buy (like groceries). People she needs to talk to do. She gets way more done than I do often because she is so organized with all of her lists. Admittedly, I am not that organized (I wish I was). Lists stress me out, it just reminds me of all the things I have to do before I can have any fun.
Exodus 40 reveals for us God's to-do list for Moses. It's hard for me to read, much less process all the things God has for Him to do, but Moses does all of it, with meticulous attention to detail, and the results are pretty incredible. It really boils down to one principle, God's glory is always preceded by obedience, and that obedience is often done in the mundane and the mechanical things in our lives.
So, here's a challenge for you to do today. To-Do lists are a part of all of our lives, whether we like it or not. As you tackle your to-do list today, find ways to live out your obedience to God in the mundane things. Guard how you speak, walk with integrity, respond with grace, whisper a prayer in faith. How you do what you do is as important as doing the right things.
As Mark Lowry put it, "Live what I believe, pray for those in need, always give more than enough. To gently walk in faith, boldly stand in faith, most of all to share the Father's love. Lord there are so many ways for me to show a glimpse of you, in my list of things to do."
Here's what I learned from Exodus 40:
Highlight:
'Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar and hung a screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work. The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ' Exodus 40:33-34
Explain:
Exodus 40 records for us the construction of the Tabernacle. The mundane, almost mechanical commands of God for the first 33 verses are almost hard to even read. Do this, do this, do this, do this…Verse 16 tells us “Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded Him.” Then it proceeds to chronicle Moses execution of the Lords commands offered in the first 15 verse they included:
Set up the Tabernacle not eh first day of the month
Put the ark of the testimony there
Screen off the ark with the curtain
Bring in the table and lay out its arrangement
Bring in the lamp stand and set up the lamps
Place the gold altar for incense in front of the ark.
Put up the screen for the entrance to the of the tabernacle
Position the altar of burnt offering
Place the basin between the tent and the altar
Put water in it
Assemble the surrounding courtyard
Hand the screen for the gate of the courtyard
Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it
Consecrate it with all the furnishings
Anoint the altar of burnt offering and its utensils
Consecrate the altar
Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate it
Bring Aaron and his sons to entrance of the tent of meeting
Wash them with water
Clothe Aaron with the holy garments
Anoint him and consecrate him
Have his sons come forward and clothe them in tunics
Anoint them
That’s a lot of stuff to do, and it all seems very mechanical. But what is astounding is what follows. When Moses finished all the work, the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. God’s presence descended in power and majesty on the tabernacle constructed by Moses. I think this relationship bears consideration. Obedience always precedes glory.
All along the way, we’ve been learning about how God is revealing who He is to this people, He is their everything. He is everything they need, He is the I Am…All that is asked of them in their relationship is obedience. Obedience is the foundational principle.
Apply:
When we obey God we create the opportunity to behold God’s glory. God’s glory will always follow obedience. Submitting to God’s will and doing all that He asks is what brings Him glory. We are the stubborn donkey that has been redeemed. As the firstborn sons of God, we are to be redeemed. We have been bought, purchased from our slavery and now our lives are His and we honor Him when we obey Him.
The New Testament picture is one of a freed man who honors the One who released Him. We are now servants of the most High because we have been redeemed. We serve God by obeying Him. Obedience honors and glorifies God.
Respond:
Jesus help me to walk in obedience to You. Help me to see the value of obedience and the opportunity for glory it provides. Be glorified in my life as I walk in obedience to You. Help me to obey you in the way that I live in the little things of each day. For You are my life. I owe all if it (including my next breath) to Your grace.
