Scripture: Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, that he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them. (Numbers 7:1 NKJV)
Observation: We’ve come to the place where the tabernacle has been finished, and now it has been erected, but there are still some rituals that need to be completed in order to make it God’s abiding place. God tells Moses to have a service of dedication of His house which would involve everyone of the leaders of the tribe of Levite, who were in charge of the Sanctuary itself. This chapter lists each of those heads of household, their responsibility in the care and transportation of the sanctuary, and of what their offering consisted.
Application: Some times me move into a new house, we buy a new house, or we build a new house and act as if we have accomplished a great deal, without recognizing that God has been gracious and generous enough to let us have this new dwelling. It is as if we give no recognition whatsoever to Him and no appreciation for His generosity.
It would be well, as soon as the house is in order, that before we call it our home we would have a service of dedication. While our house may not be a church, we do need to invite God to abide in our midst, invite Him to be our welcome, constant Guest, and thus to make of our home His home. I wonder if a constant awareness of that fact would help us to be more careful about how we live and act with each other.
A Prayer You May Say: Father, right now, regardless of how long we have lived in our home, we invite You to be our honored Guest. Abide with us, and help us to live daily with the awareness of your presence in our midst. And as You live with us, a blessing all in itself, may all the other blessings of love, life, and health also live with us.
Used by permission of Adventist Family Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.