mySundaySermons

Read: Exodus 26.14-26 (NRSV) 

One of the amazing features of the Hebrews wandering in the wilderness is that their place of worship was a mobile tent of meeting. It had tall walls made of multiple frames and panels stretched over poles of cedar. Silver bowls were located at the lower ends of the poles. In our current experiences of digital worship, we get a sense that this mobile format needs some special work to separate it from the ordinary work on our devices and our spiritual work through the same devices. The instruction was to separate the tentpoles from the ground in silver bases. The people were called to make forty bowls as the foundation of the holy mobile sanctuary. The bowls reminded the people that God’s presence was feeding their spirits. 

How can we define what is ordinary and what is specially set aside for God? What do we place at the foundation of our daily choices? Start and end the day in prayer. In spending more time at home or alone, where is our worship space? Could we pick a place to keep our bible, our worship music, or bible study materials together? Sometimes times the church has gone overboard with defining holy spaces and sacred things, but the intent is helpful. Finding the place of worship and fellowship with God was right with them wherever they traveled and that’s good advice for us. 

Take a bowl that you use for breakfast or soup and set it aside with verses of scripture to read and re-read. Place prayers and review them to see when the prayers are answered or need more attention. We can make these weeks a time of worship and fellowship wherever we go. Keep your bible and hymnal handy or move your apps to the home screen. Make going to the mountain easy, accessible, and be fed often. 

Action Plan: Gather songs that you enjoy singing or hearing and play them often – while you work, travel, clean, or play. Build the foundation in words and songs of faith. 

Prayer: O God, keep your words in my heart, in my hands, on my mind and at your feet. Amen.