Day 16 from Pastor Brian Flewelling's 24-Day Devotional Titled "Exodus."

“Have them make an ark of acacia wood...Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out...then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you.” Exodus 25:10, 11, 16

Generally, in life, you only keep what is valuable to you: jewelry, family heirlooms, letters from your lover, or a lock of hair from your first baby. God has a treasure box—the Ark of the Covenant—where he collects his valuables. The word for ark is literally derived from the verb “to gather.” It’s a special place where he gathers his memorabilia. The treasure box he collects his things in is crafted from gnarly Bedouin wood from the wilderness. It is full of unique character and stubbornness. The swirling wood box is overlaid with gold, inside and out. Gold is precious and heavy. Gold is pure and expensive, and it symbolizes the weight of God’s glory.

What does God keep in this gnarled glory-covered box? He keeps “The Testimony.” The Testimony is the court record, a witness of Israel’s history and covenant with God. It testified that God and humanity are wrapped up together in a relationship that is serious. Remember, we said God is sticky like that. He keeps remembering things in all their perfect details. He is keeping track of where this story is going.

Let’s put this picture together now. The Ark of the Covenant is a picture of us. Like Acacia wood, our human nature is incurably bent and twisted yet covered over by the glory of God’s pure, costly love. We are to be covered with God’s glory, inside and out, baptized—if you will—in his pure gold. It is within us that God preserves our testimony, a collection of our witness to his faithfulness. Indeed, we are the containers of his presence.

What a beautiful picture this is of God calling imperfect people out of slavery and into a relationship with him. Your testimony is worth preserving because you are God’s handiwork.

 
Find the full digital copy of "Exodus" here.