Custodians

"You shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. ² The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements. ³ Five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. ⁴ You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. ⁵ You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite each other. ⁶ You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit". Exodus 26:1-6
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And...that's just the beginning!

I've never heard anybody say "Exodus 26 is my favorite chapter in the Bible!" I understand. When I read it, I get distracted as I attempt to visualize how this whole structure would look. And, it would help to know how big a cubit is, right? Well, who knows...exactly? It is the distance from our elbow to the tip of our middle finger (17-21 inches).So then, I can't help but wonder what happens when Moses had several builders...of several different sizes...doing the measuring.

Chaos!

So, we're tempted to view this as an historical event that has very little direct influence on our daily lives. That's a bad idea. God is more judicious with His time and energy. Everything He does means something.

Why didn't God simply tell Moses..."put up something nice so I can come and live with you"? After all, that was the point. I believe this text reminds us that God is a God of design and discipline, who is keenly interested in being with us. He is not an "Absentee Landlord" who dropped us here and left us to figure out the meaning of life.

Allow me to suggest this; God invested a great deal of thought and energy into designing the Tabernacle...which was to be His earthly dwelling. You and I...as believers...are His earthly dwelling places today. Why would He be any less disciplined or precise in designing us?

It's easy to spiritualize this notion and say this applies to how we live our spiritual lives...we must be pure and holy. I agree but, then, why"28 cubits"?  Why "50 loops"? Why "Purple"? I have to believe the physical structure was intentional. So, I can't honestly focus only on a spiritual application.

God chose to dwell in me...long before He created me as His personal residence, He designed me as a place where He would feel comfortable living. Why He built this tabernacle only 4.5 cubits tall is a question I cannot answer. I would have preferred something a bit more impressive...at least 5 cubits. And, why He designed the covering to turn prematurely white? I have no idea.

We like to say "God doesn't make mistakes" while we're busy changing what He built. We get tattoos, we get cosmetic surgery, we dye our hair, we change our gender...we do so many things to remodel what God designed and built. My intent isn't to suggest any of the things I mentioned are sinful. I hope to encourage us to ask why we have taken such privilege with a building that isn't even ours. Do we bother to ask God how He feels about it?

I have friends who leased their home while they took an assignment in Europe. When they returned they were furious. The renters had acted like they owned the place and completely abused it. It took several thousands of dollars to get it back into livable condition.

And that's really the point. If we lived our lives as stewards of God's house we would be far less inclined toward dissatisfaction with the structure. We would be far more motivated to get on a regular maintenance program that sustains what God has designed. We might even hear God say "Lee, that middle section is beginning to bulge a little. See if you can get it back to it's original specs".

We live in a fallen world and everything deteriorates. Knees go bad, hearts begin to malfunction and brains begin to slow down. I don't know what Moses did with the Tabernacle to maintain it over the many years in the wilderness. I'm pretty certain he didn't change the design. And eventually, God told them to build a new house...a Temple.

Let's reorient our outlook a bit. Let's be custodians of the amazing residences God designed for Himself and view our lives as being faithful stewards...both spiritually and physically. Let's not be moving walls and raising ceilings. I believe, with this approach, we can be confident that God will always feel comfortable with what He built. And, eventually, He is going to design us in more glorious fashion that we can even imagine.

Live boldly out there today...