Exodus 25:8
Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.
As we fast forward in Exodus, Moses has led the people out of slavery in Egypt at God’s command. They are now in the desert working their way (slowly!) to the Promised Land. Imagine about a million people in a giant tent city in the desert — and God wants to join the camp out. In another Immanuel moment, God asks his people to build a Tabernacle (literally “tent”) so that he can dwell with them.
Here’s your freedom for today: God wants to participate in your life.
In this moment in Israel’s history, they are not living the glamorous life. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to live in ongoing temporary housing for 40 years. That does not stop God. He wants to participate with them in their journey, and he designs an elaborate tent for himself to do just that. When his people are more situated (much later on), God has a more permanent Temple in which he can dwell with his people. Wherever you find yourself at this moment in life, God wants to dwell with you. He is interested in joining you, and Jesus made it possible for God to “tabernacle” inside of you. Have you invited God to make his home in your heart?