Guard The Contents!

On the mountain, God gave Moses directions for the tabernacle and all that was associated with it. Among the important furnishing was the ark of the covenant. ( Exodus 25:10-22) On this was the mercy seat where the high priest would offer atonement for the nation once each year. ( Hebrews 9:7) It was also noted as the place where God was met. ( Exodus 25:22) The ark was also a box that held a container of manna as a remembrance ( Exodus 16:33-34), Aaron's staff that had budded ( Numbers 17:10), and the tablets of the covenant ( Exodus 25:16). These three items are also listed in Hebrews 9:4. However, by the time of Solomon, "There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone." ( 1 Kings 8:9) At least that was there. However, even God's commands got misplaced and lost as time went on, only to be discovered during the reign of Josiah when the temple was under repair. While the money was being brought into the house of God the book was found! ( 2 Kings 22:2-13 & 2 Chronicles 34:14-21) How could God's people lose track of such a thing? No wonder they kept departing from His Will!

When Jesus was faced with those who would not accept Him for Who He was, He stated the reason was. . .
"(38) and YOU DO NOT HAVE HIS WORD ABIDING IN YOU, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. (39) You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, (40) yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life." ( John 5:38-40 ESV)

It was not words on stone in a box (no matter how ornate that box might be) that God desired for HIS WORD, but for it to be INTERNALIZED within His people so as to impact daily living. The Hebrew writer even noted this in referring to Jeremiah's prophecy that read. . .

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." ( Hebrews 8:10 ESV) [ Jeremiah 31:33]

This is the container of which the contents need to be closely guarded. No matter how good we might think we look, if we do not retain GOD'S WORD within, we might as well be an old wooden crate laying around collecting dust. It is that with which God fills us that brings the significance to our life. We need to take care that GOD'S WORD is not lost track of in our life. Has it been covered up and hidden by other "treasures" taken into our HEART AND MIND? Is there the need for some cleaning so that it can once again be found? Let us allow GOD'S WILL to be taken into OUR MINDS and written on OUR HEARTS to be kept and followed so that we will continue to acknowledge Jesus for Who He is and will live in a manner revealing He truly is the Lord of our life. May GOD'S WILL never be misplaced or replaced but closely safeguarded within.

Have a great day REMAINING A BEAUTIFUL CONTAINER OF GOD'S WORD!
Carl

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