God calls craftsmen

I came with a grain offering to the tabernacle. I saw the horns of the altar for the first time. We washed our hands with a laver, saw the bronze sea and finally went through purple, scarlet and blue curtains and gold pillars into the holy place. We found it dim, lit by a lampstand with seven oil lamps (a menorah in other words) and filled with incense.

Finally we saw the Ark of the Covenant.

Wow.

We went to see the Tabernacle Experience at First Baptist Church in Elkhart today. This is a traveling ministry that features a life-size replica of the Wilderness Tabernacle.

Of course they cannot travel with that much gold, silver, bronze and finely woven tapestries, not to mention the Ark of the Covenant. They use replicas to teach about God's dwelling place with the Israelites.

One comment about the Tabernacle craftsmen gladdened my writer's heart. God called the "master workmen" in the King James version. The master builders were called by name and their leader, Bezale-el, was filled with the spirit of God, in understanding, wisdom, knowledge and all manner of workmanship. Others were called wise-hearted as they helped create the structure and equipment of the Tabernacle according to God's plan.

While we are not working in gold, silver, bronze, fine fabrics, wood and leather, we are still craftsmen.

How encouraging that God calls us by name and equips us to create works for Him. As I work out plot tangles or other problems I can remind myself that the workmen received a plan from God but also wisdom and skills to carry it out.