Exodus 27

"You are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil from crushed olives for the light, in order to keep the lamp burning continually."

Exodus 26:20

The Lord goes on to say that this is a permanent statute, and should be carried out for all the generations of the Israelites, so it must be important.  The lamp He's referring to is the lamp in the tent of the tabernacle, and He's commanding Aaron and his sons to stand watch from evening until morning, making sure the light never goes out.  

Think of the tabernacle as a church.  Its courtyard is a meeting place for all the people to gather and worship.  Its back room is the place where God speaks directly to His priests - basically a prayer room.  The whole idea of having a common worship center, rather than worshiping alone in our own homes, is so that everyone has a safe, clean environment in which we can unload our troubles and be close for a while.  How would that feel in a dark tent on a dark night?

Turning a single light on changes that whole experience.  God knows how important light is to the humans He created.  He knows that we are attached to our sense of sight, and that it has the potential to completely change our entire persona.

Keep the lamp burning in God's temple.  This takes on a whole new meaning when we remember that our bodies are the new temple.  Don't let the Light go out in your soul.  Don't allow darkness to enter your body.  You are a temple to the Lord, which should be open and inviting to everyone around you.

Question of the Day:

How do your attitudes and actions affect your own spirit and the lives of those around you?  Are you providing a comfortable place of worship for yourself and God's people?

Prayer of the Day:

Light up my heart, so that I may see my transgressions and get rid of them before they do more harm.  Cast out all darkness from within me, so that my body may be a living temple for worshiping You.  Help me to keep an open and inviting attitude so that I do not scare others away from Your love.  Do not let Your Light leave me at any time, day or night.  Amen.