Joy in Fulfilling God's Plan

As I read about the construction of the tabernacle, I had to stop and think about what joy these people must have felt during that time.

They had just renewed their covenenat with God, and were now eager to do all he said. How happy they must have been as they worked to fulfill the plan God had for them!

It occurred to me that we so often want something to do, and it is very hard to wait. In fact, so hard that while they were waiting for Moses to return they fell into sin, and part of me wonders if it was for lack of anything else to do.

Waiting on the lord is hard to do! As I've lost my voice this week, I've done a lot oflistening. It's just not easy. There's no way around it. These people had to wait and listen for the command from God to reveal his plan, and only then were they able to go into action.

Doing it on their own resulted in death and disaster, but the construction of the tabernacle paints a very different picture. They were thrilled to be giving over these valuable goods, they were filled with the spirit to be able to create just as God intended, and they were working together to bring glory to God. Truly, it must have been a wonderful and exciting time to be among them.

I get the sense, reading all of this together, of how they waited, and the sense of excitement began to build as step by step, law by law, God began to reveal his plan to his people, but he did it in an orderly way. In his way. focusing first on the holiness of his people, and keeping house, as it were, before moving onto anything else. They weren't ready yet.

And I sit and think of our life. God has plans for us, and I know they're good, and I want to know them right now! But...I think perhaps we're not ready yet. So here we are, waiting on the Lord, trying to learn what it is he wants to teach us so that his plan will be revealed to us, and just as there must have been such a joy in purpose in building the Tabernacle, I can't wait to experience such a joy in purpose as Peter and I find what it is God has in store for us.