Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in my most recent Sunday Scripture series.  I've been posting about my simple study of a little devotional journal titled Reflections: The Woman God Sees., by Jane L. Fryar -- a journal gifted me by some dear young friends   It has a daily devotional one works through -- about a month's worth or so.  It was a blessing to me when I worked through it, so I've been sharing here.  Readers have told me they're enjoying it, so on we go!  I think we're about halfway through the book at this point.

For this week, the featured passage was Exodus 38:8. The devotional noted: "Moses gathered offerings from the people to use in building the tabernacle.  Some of the women donated mirrors they had brought with them from Egypt, mirrors made from the most valuable, most highly polished bronze available."

Then it posed the question: "What thoughts come to your mind as you consider the women's sacrifice?"  I chose to SOAP Exodus 38:8 as I considered this question.

S= "And he made the laver of bronze, and the foot of it of bronze, of the looking glasses of the women serving, who served at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."  (Exodus 38:8)

O= This chapter 38 is part of a section which describes the construction of the tabernacle (Exodus 36-39).  God gave commandment to Moses regarding the construction and also for how the materials would be provided.  

    "And Moses spoke unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,
"Take you from among you an offering unto the LORD; whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it."

Moses went on to describe the materials that should be brought: Gold, silver, and bronze; fine linen of blue, purple, and scarlet; animal skins of various kinds; oil and spices; acacia wood; onyx and other precious stones (Exodus 35:4-9).  

In Exodus 36:5 we read that the people "brought much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make."  Moses had to stop them from bringing more!  This gives us an idea of the heart of the women in donating their prized mirrors to help create the laver for the tabernacle.

Then Moses went on to name two specific individuals God had called to design, to work, and to teach other "wisehearted people, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up, to come unto the work to do it."  (Exodus 36:2)

Exodus 35, verses 30-35, describe Bezalel, whom God had filled with His Spirit "in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship ... to design beautifully wrought works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in bronze; and in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of skillful work.  And He hath put in his heart that he may teach ...".

Exodus 35:34 introduces the second man, Oholiab, who also had the gift of teaching.  Along with Bezalel, Oholiab was "filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver and of the skillful workman, and of the embroiderer ... and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that design beautifully wrought work."  Exodus 38:23 tells us more about Oholiab: he was "an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen."

A= In answer to the question: "What thoughts come to your mind as you consider the women's sacrifice?" I noted: Those mirrors that the women donated were probably some of their most prized possessions -- not just because these were made of a valuable metal, and were beautiful, highly decorative items -- but also because they would have enjoyed seeing their own reflection.  So in giving these mirrors to be used in preparing the furnishings for the tabernacle, these women were not simply giving valuable items, things they enjoyed for their beauty.  They were giving up items that would have been very important to them personally.

The "As I reflect" section notes: "Self-forgetful, Jesus held nothing back as He offered Himself up for you on the cross.  How does His sacrifice of love for you make you want to love Him more?"

I wrote: I don't know if it can make me love Him more, but I do think that it motivates me even more to live every moment of life as a thank-offering to Him.  A song says something like this: 

    "Lord, help me live from day to day In such a self-forgetful way That even when I kneel to pray, My prayer will be for others.  Others, Lord, yes, others, let this my motto be: Help me to live for others, That I may live like Thee."

P= "Lord, it is inspiring and even rebuking to see how sacrificially Your people gave of themselves to provide the furnishings for the tabernacle.  They brought more than what was needed -- so much that Moses actually had to stop them from bringing more!  In light of all You have done for me, I want to seek to live every moment of my life as a thank-offering to You.  Help me to do this, I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

And that's the Sunday Scripture for today!