“On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3 You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and partition off the ark with the veil..” Exodus 40:2-3
School starts tomorrow. For some students, it will be their first day attending school in their lives. For others, it will be the first day of a new academic year in the next level of their schooling lives. For all of them, it will be the start of something new, a road that they have not ventured down before. In a sense, all beginnings are new.
The Lord’s word to Israel, His chosen people “On the first day of the first month..”, is to set up the place of worship, the tabernacle, the meeting place with God, etc… This is more than just a ritualistic requirement, this is putting in place the essentials to ensure success for the rest of the year. Worship, places the focus on the One whom we worship. Decide from the start of this year, in whom we will put our priority on, what it means in its practical outworking. Decide how we shall spend our time, money, energy, mind (yes, our thoughts), every resource that the Lord has granted us. Decide beforehand. Do not leave it to chance. Things will not fall into their places automatically.
Decide this year, to set apart carefully guarded time with the Lord. Be it a daily time slot, weekly worship – a time of meeting with the Lord, for prayers, reading His words, praising Him, or simply enjoying His presence. All these are essential to keep our focus right, on the Lord who is the source of all, and I reiterate, ALL that we need for life.
As the Lord has decreed to Israel, the center of the tabernacle, the basis of the priviledge of meeting the God of the Universe, is in the Everlasting Covenant that God has established with them. For us, on a more superior Covenant established by the Blood of Jesus! Whatever He promises, it is yes and amen in Christ Jesus. It is worthy of our effort to set apart intimate time with the Lord, personally and corporately.
May the Lord, our God of Covenant, our Faithful Father, bless you in this coming year!