Evening and Morning Tid-Bits

Last night I came across a few verses that are my favorite: Psalm 84:10-12, "For a day in Your courts is better then a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God then dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You."

This is what I call a nutshell verse. It wraps everything up in a few sentences:

1. To yearn to be in the presence of God even if it's at the threshold of His house. Because it's better to be at His doorstep then hanging out with the wicked.

2. To know that the Lord is a sun that gives us light which reflects on our face, gives us warmth and helps us to grow.

3. He's a shield that protects us from the enemy and goes before us as we run through the fire. Reminds me to keep Him always before me. Not to say that I won't get a stray arrow glancing off or stinging me once in a while. But knowing He's in front of me brings a sense of security.

4. The Lord gives grace and glory - reminds me to extend grace to those who I don't deem as worthy of receiving it. I'm just as unworthy of His grace.

5. He doesn't withhold anything from those who walk uprightly. This speaks for itself.

This morning I read about Bazalel and Oholiab. It seems like these men were skilled in everything. They were the ones who oversaw the construction of the tabernacle. Exodus 36:1-2 says, "Now Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skillful person in whom the Lord has put skill and understanding to know how to perform all the work in the construction of the sanctuary, shall perform in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded. Then Moses called Bezalel and Oholiah and every skillful person in whom the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to perform it."

What jumped out at me was that the Lord put these skills and knowledge into these men and others. He did this so that they would be able to construct the tabernacle. And these men's hearts were stirred so much that they came forward to perform the work of the Lord. I'm reminded that we all have skills and knowledge that are given to us by the Lord. That we too, should go with a glad and willing heart to use our skills/knowledge for His kingdom.

Krista Jones
1.30.08