Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him.
More detailed description of the various components of Moses’ construction and compilation tasks. The ark, the tabernacle, the tent, the mercy seat, the lampstands, the basins, and the vestments. The detail is exquisite; I can only imagine the splendor. People did this work out of their love for God, everyone chipping in where they could, including the women who felt moved to make things out of goats’ hair. The ark contained all of the jewels and splendor of the temple, as now the people were taking the temple on the road.
The reflection accompanying this reading is from the Cloud of Unknowing, an anonymous mystic writing from the 1300’s. It reflects that God’s grace to us is something like the ark. The little bits of grace we receive contain all of the jewels and splendor of God’s infinite love. We, our human bodies, are our own kind of ark, a place for God to reside. We, the people, now are taking God on the road.
How do I envision myself as a place for God to dwell? How have I made that place bejeweled and splendorous?
This is a fascinating exercise for me, because I’m so concrete, I can absolutely imagine a room. It’s my own version of a Sim game. One of the rooms I’d design for God is very sparse and clean – think picturesque Amish prayer house. Pegs on the walls to hang up the chairs, worn wood floors, white walls. But in that room, I’d have a comfy chair, a prie-dieu (pronounced pray-do), which is a stand-alone kneeler, with something to rest your arms on as you pray, and maybe a mat on the floor. This would provide space for me to join God in whatever prayer posture I was feeling, sitting, kneeling, walking, laying down. I might add an altar, but I’d want it pretty simple. I need less stuff, not more.
I’d have a room full of windows and light, figuring God likes light. And I’d have a nap room. Maybe God needs a rest. Or I would. My image of my light, sparse interior space is probably a little bit of wishful thinking. I probably don’t have as much light and sparse space as I’d like. I need space and room, light and airy. And a nap room. This morning, I’m thinking about how to clear out some of the junk in my interior rooms, to make space for the airy and light space I imagine for God. And I’m thinking about naps.
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