The Words of Encouragement

God is a God of excellence.  He took great care in creating this world we live in and the beauty we see around us, are we to be slack in our honoring his excellence?

Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. - Exodus 25:8-9

Where is God? Where Things are Done His Way. I was speaking with someone about the presence of God, and it lead me in this direction of us examining this topic.  The scripture today is from God giving Moses instruction on how to build his sanctuary.  If you read the entire section of scripture you will see the detail that was expected to be carried out.

For today, we will look at these two verses of scripture.  The instruction is, have them make me a santuary and furnish it exactly like the pattern I will show you.  These words to us may seem like light instructions but when it comes from God, they are not to be taken lightly.

If you have every read about the tabernacle you would know that the presence of God would not even inhabit the tabernacle until everything was set up and done just as instructed.  They did not get the opportunity to say, "we can leave this out, or that out and it will be okay".  If they ever did, God's presence would not show up to inhabit the tabernacle.

While we look at this and think that was "Old Testament" and we do not have to look at that today.  That would be a wrong belief.  We say it often, God is the same today as yesterday.  Then that means he still expects us to set up worship his way.

That means he still is expecting his people today to place "excellence" as a standard for him.  That is what the Israelites did.  They knew that excellence was what was needed to ensure God's appearance.  It is the same today.  God's presence will be where his children are in line with his purpose, his way and his will. We cannot expect to have church "our way" and still expect God to show up.  We will simply be a building with people and no "spiritual" substance. This excellence is not man's excellence but us following what God has instructed us to follow and thus lining up with the excellency put in place by God.

That means we seek God's direction on everything we do.  What do you want us to sing today?  What do you want us to preach today?  Who do you want to pray today?  We ask God everything.  We do not leave that up to our ideas or our thoughts.  As soon as we do, we move from God's excellency to us just doing things our way.

Today, Lord help us understand you still expect your children to come to worship your way.  You still expect your children to come with the mindset of excellence.  For you are worthy of our praise and honor.  Help us to worship you, your way.