At several earlier points in the narrative of Exodus, we have seen that the people of Israel were eager to donate their treasures for the building of the Tabernacle. Exodus 38:24 reinforces this...
Exodus 37 mirrors earlier portions of Exodus. Compare, for example, Exodus 37:1 with Exodus 25:10: “Next Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27...
When it came time for the Israelite craftsmen to construct the Tabernacle, the people had the opportunity to contribute to the project. The Lord had not commanded that all people give their...
Several weeks ago as we were looking at Exodus 25:1-2, I noted how striking it is that the Lord did not compel...
It’s a Wonderful Life, 12 Angry Men, The Green Mile, Gattaca. These are a few of the movies on my Top Ten...
"How old is your son?" asked the man behind the ticket counter.The father hesitated for a moment. It wasn't that the question was difficult to answer. His son was 12 years old, that...
After Moses’ encounter with the Lord on Mt. Sinai, in which the Lord showed himself to Moses and revealed the depth of his character, Moses remained on the mountain for forty days. During...
I was in college when I first heard a preacher refer to Exodus 34:14, claiming that God was jealous. I must admit that I found this idea unsettling, even offensive. Jealousy, it seemed...
In our time of history, when tolerance and dialogue are the watchwords of interfaith interaction, Exodus 34:12-13 can sound harsh and extreme. What God said to Moses about how the Israelites are to...
Hi there, I'm Laura Boggess. In the summer of 1990, I had just finished my undergraduate degree in psychology and was preparing to move to a new city to attend graduate school. Before...
Psalm 66 celebrates God’s glory as it is revealed in his mighty works. This celebration is meant, not just for Jews, but for the whole earth (66:1). Yet how are those who have...
L.L. here, with Random Acts of Poetry-- remembering an exchange I had with Glynn. He's a businessman developing a habit. A poetry habit. I know this because he told me he wrote two...
Can the Church exist online without ever meeting? Can our activities online become a kind of addiction? How do we balance our online activities with the real world? After attending the Christian Web...
It has often been said that Christians should be different from those who don’t follow Jesus. And rightly so. You could compile a list of dozens of ways in which the people of...
In earlier chapters of Exodus, the Lord revealed to Moses the plans for the Tabernacle, the place where he would dwell among his people, in which sacrifices would be offered by the priests. After...
I must confess that my first thought as I read this verse was not equal to the gravity of its content. I remembered times on vacation with my family, when my children were...
Under the recently installed King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah’s livin’ large in Persia. He’s the cup bearer for the king, a trusted confidant and advisor. One day, Nehemiah's brother Hanani, shows up. He...
My husband and I had planned a quiet Friday evening at home. I didn't expect to end up—of all places—at a tattoo parlor. ...
Today I finish several reflections on Exodus 32, the story of the golden calf. Last Friday, we watched as Moses confronted Aaron concerning his leadership of Israel’s idolatry and as Aaron shirked...
L.L. here, with Random Acts of Poetry, on the anniversary of a hard, hard day. How do we face such difficulties in life? It is with humor, beauty and support that we partly...
