120316 - Exodus 39 - HOLINESS TO THE LORD

Friday SOAP: HOLINESS TO THE LORD: it's not about the jewels, the gold or the silver. It's not about the skillful weaving and decorative design. All these things are overshadowed by the unified purpose of God.

S: From the blue and purple and scarlet yarns they made finely woven garments, for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. (Exodus 39:1-2)

O: I suppose today's observation will be a simple one: the garments of the High Priest included simple and commonplace as well as rare and costly items. I estimated the weight of the gold mentioned in yesterday's reading to have a value of roughly $59,000,000. But simple thread and the skilled work of weaving was just as important to the High Priest's operation.

A: I led some friends through a tour of the JESUS Film today, and again (as it has so many times) the partnership struck me as I watched the story of a new translation being premiered to an African tribe. A retired couple had been called to provide funding for a new language, so a new translation was produced, a team was commissioned, and the Lord moved thousands to attend. The sponsoring couple got to flip the switch on the projector.

It made me think about how God's calling makes the actual work we do immaterial. An analogy I once heard went something like this: if God directed two of His angels to accomplish some work on earth and one was to conquer a world empire and claim it for Him, while the other was to set about scrubbing the streets of the filthiest city in the world, it would be utterly immaterial to each which assignment fell to him, because an elect angel's committed purpose is simply God's will.

Like the couple sponsoring the JESUS Film translation, some people have fantastic talent for accomplishing something practical. They work at it for many years and accumulate significant means, which funds the work of ministry. Others of the simpler yarn may just be called to work in the Master's Vineyard at whatever He requires. But both share in the harvest, because, ultimately, it isn't the material which makes the product valuable, it's the One to Whom it is dedicated.

P: Lord, like Bezaleel, let me stand in your shadow with my brothers and sisters, and let us together be "HOLINESS TO THE LORD."

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