October 26th

Exodus 37:1-38:31, Mark 8:14-9:1, Proverbs 6:1-11

It seems as though the writer of Exodus is just repeating the last couple of days as he sets out the measurements for all the different elements of the tabernacle – surely we’ve heard it before. But the message that comes out of this is very important, the writer is actually telling us that the people did what God told them. We have read about a couple of whinging episodes and the creation of a golden calf, good examples of the people not doing as they are told. Here however, the people follow God’s directions to the letter as they prepare the tabernacle, the holy place.

That is something that has been lacking somewhat in our reading of the gospels. We touched yesterday upon a couple of the reasons why Jesus may have told people not to spread the word just yet. The most common response to this, in the accounts that are written down, is for the healed person to ignore Jesus and go and shout it from the rooftops. Today’s reading hints that the blind man may have actually done as he was told, and the disciples hopefully did as well after Peter had acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ (8:30)

It is so easy for us to fall into the same trap as Peter (8:32) and enter into a discussion with God when he tries to tell us the path that he wants us to take. We negotiate with Him and ourselves about all the possible reasons why the God of heaven and earth may be wrong, why his plan for our lives will not work. There are times when, like the many healed people, we actually just go off and do the opposite to what God has said. And yet we need to be more like the people in these Exodus readings.

The builders that are just finishing in our house at the moments have listened to some of our requests and requirements but not listened to others. Moses patiently went up the mountain and took down all the measurements that God gave him and they then built the tabernacle to these dimensions. When God speaks we need to listen and faithfully carry out his will. Is God saying anything particular to you at the moment?