By Laura Putnam

Chapter 29 ends up with a poignant reminder that God planned to dwell in the midst of this motley crowd of immigrants. They certainly were not a very “polished” group of people. Rather, they were at that point often so quick to complain, to protest vehemently and slow to “pull together” to even trust Moses or the God he so often quoted.

But God used four specific words to picture this tabernacle he was designing as his dwelling place ­— glorious, beautiful, purity, holiness. And he stated emphatically that he planned to dwell in their midst. He was going to take all the initiative in making them into a holy people — just as he was giving them the design (and the gifts) to make the tabernacle so that he could indeed dwell in their midst.

Just so, God himself has given us design for our daily living, our daily relationships, to make us holy and pure — men and women with whom he can dwell, and through whom his own glory and beauty can be seen. He is not as concerned with physical buildings, but with the sanctuary of our lives in all the routine aspects of our living, working, playing, as well as our character, our morality. We are taught clearly in the New Testament that he desires to live in us — we are his tabernacle, his dwelling place. What glory!

We do well to follow closely his design, his plan for our lives, in all our relationships with him, with others and especially in those attitudes deep inside that make up the real, authentic us.

Originally published March 25, 2021