At the end of December, I was part of a decorating crew for the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. It was a great experience seeing how the flower-covered floats come to life. I worked alongside some members of our church along with others from the So Cal community. It was a great time of comradery, chatting and laughing as we glued and sprinkled seeds and dried flowers to all the surfaces of these beautiful creations.
I see this very same atmosphere happening here at the end of Exodus as the people work together to build the tabernacle. What a relieve they must have felt to actually be doing something they had been trained to do. These people were trained craftsmen, artists, weavers, and builders who had been part of constructing the cities in Egypt. They had skills and God had a job for them. This project would not only create a dwelling place for the Almighty but God would also accomplish an important task in their lives. This would bring them together with a common purpose, build relationships, and give them a sense of usefulness and belonging. While they were building the tabernacle, God was building them into a community.
There is an important lesson for us in this part of God's story. We can be God's people, can know God, attend services and Bible studies but its working together with a common focus that builds the strongest relationships. Service is the mortar of the community. It connects us in such a way that strengthens and bonds, gives purpose and ownership. We are invested in each other. It develops community pride which really boils down to care and compassion for one another.
On January 2nd as 'my' float passed by on the television screen, I felt a swell of pride. Yep, I had helped build that. I and many other people had been part of creating this beautiful float. But after it had disappeared from view, it was the the day we worked together connecting as a community that would remain in my memory.
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