While You Were Sleeping

Photo by Sam K on Pexels.com

A star hung over Bethlehem. The angel announced the birth of a King. A heavenly host sang praises in the night sky. Most of the people slept through the night that changed history. Jesus left glory in heaven to make His dwelling with people, but the people He came to save slept. They didn’t make room for Him. A whole city with no room for Jesus. So He was born in a stable out back.

A night sky with a supernaturally bright star and filled with angels. Who noticed? Those who were not sleeping. The shepherds tending their flocks by night. They saw the star and the angel and the heavenly host. They returned to Bethlehem as the angel directed, and they found Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. They fell down on their knees and worshiped the newborn Savior (Luke 2:8-13).

While America Sleeps

God has been with us since the beginning of time. Jesus came to Bethlehem and lived among men for thirty-three years. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the lame walk and the blind see. He drove out demons and taught people how to live. These things are recorded in the Bible so we can believe and live forever with Him (John 3:16). Yet, many in America are like those in Bethlehem. They have not given Jesus room in their lives. They have made up their own rules how they should live – save the trees and kill the children. Will another supernaturally silent night come? When Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised He would return for those who love Him. Will we be sleeping?

Prayer

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for Jesus. Thank you for creating us and saving our souls from sin and destruction. Help us to be watchful while we wait for that day when you return. And while we wait, make us beacons of your light and love in this world so more people will experience your amazing love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Three Basics for Your Personal Tabernacle

Model of Tabernacle, tent of meeting in Timna Park, Negev desert

Imagine, if you will, a desert valley floor filled with tents. This is what it looked like as Israel traveled for forty years in the desert to move from Egypt to the Promised Land, later to become Israel. While the Hebrew people were in Egypt they could not worship their God. That is why Moses pleaded with Pharaoh to let his people go into the desert so they could worship God.

The story of the Israelites leaving Egypt, crossing the Red Sea and moving across the desert to Mt. Sinai is captivating (Exodus). At Mt. Sinai God gave Moses plans to build a tabernacle, a place to meet with Him. The picture is a model of the mobile tabernacle that moved from place to place with the Hebrew people. It was the first tent to be set up when the people moved to a new place, and it set the positions for all the other thousands of tents.

Today we do not need a tabernacle, temple or church to worship God. We can set up our own tabernacle in the center of our lives. I have a special place in our home where I meet with God and I’d like to suggest how you can have the same. Here are a few basic elements:

1. Time: Establish an appointed time to meet with God every day. This seemed hard for me in the beginning, but I reserved 15 minutes to spend with God. The time has grown into 30-40 minutes, sometimes an hour or two.
2. Place: Find a quiet place, a place with little or no distractions or interruptions. I have a comfortable chair, a table and a lamp, because sometimes it is dark when I get up to be with the Lord. A cross on the table helps me focus on why I am there.
3. Bible: Choose a Bible translation you like, several devotional books and possibly a hymn book. My time with God is spent reading His word, praising Him in song and prayer. My voice does not sound very good in the morning, but I turn to YouTube and find others who sing hymns and praise songs well. This is an important element I often leave out, but when I don’t, I am blessed beyond my imagination.

So what difference does all this make? First, it changed my life. By reading the Bible I learned the character and promises of God, His mercy and compassion. When I started, I didn’t really know how to pray so I prayed, “Thank you, Jesus” over and over again, so thankful that the God of creation loved even me. That prayer grew to “Help me, Jesus” and “I love you, Lord.” Now my prayer is more like talking to a real Friend about all that concerns me.

My time with God is too wonderful not to share with others. I have developed ministries and you can too. I’ve taught Sunday school, mentored women, led Bible studies, hosted high teas with a message and volunteered as a chaplain at a local hospital. The result is that my life is a living tabernacle, a place where people meet God. It is a fulfilled life. My prayer is that you are a living tabernacle too, and if not, that you will focus on Jesus, make Him the center of your life and inspire others to do the same.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the history of the tabernacle in the desert. Help us to set up our own tabernacles in the wilderness here on earth. Help us to love and show compassion as you do, that we might serve you by loving others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.