Our Best Isn't Good Enough

In Exodus 25.8 God says, "Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them." God desires to dwell among His people. He wants to be present with them and fellowship with them. He wants them to be able to worship Him, and be reminded that He is with them. And so for the next five chapters God gives instructions about the Tabernacle.

It is going to be the earthly dwelling for God, and so it must be worthy of Him. God gives instructions that the items inside are either to be covered in gold or made out of pure gold. The curtains are to be of linen, goat hair with bronze clasps, and blue, purple, and scarlet material. The pillars are to be covered with gold. The altar of sacrifice is to be made out of wood and covered in bronze. The outer court is to have pillars with silver and bronze on them. The priests, ministers in the Tabernacle, are to have precious stones and other costly garments as they stand before God. Everything is to be the best. It is for God.

Gold is the most precious thing we have. It is the medal that represents first place. It is something that armies have marched for. Entire nations have been wiped out for it. Gold is precious and valuable. But even gold isn't good enough for God.

Recently I talked to a dying man about Heaven. I spoke with my mentor while I was on my way to his house, and he pointed out something to me that I had never really thought of before. In Revelation 21 there is a description of Heaven. Part of verse 21 says, "And the street of the city was pure gold". Here on earth our streets are paved with asphalt or concrete. It is worthless material because it exists in abundance. People aren't out in the road with a pickax breaking up asphalt and putting it in a lock box. It is so common place that it has no value. We pave our streets with a worthless material. In Heaven the street is made of gold. The thing that is most valuable here on earth is so common place in heaven that it has no value. The thing that men have been killed over is what the streets are made out of.

Gold is of little value in heaven. And yet that is what God has His dwelling place made of here on earth. Something that is common place and worthless is what He has His dwelling place made of, and it doesn't even come close to what He is worthy of. Our best isn't even good enough to give to God. And the amazing thing, is God accepts it from us. Even though He deserves far more than we would ever be able to give Him, He desires and delights in our offering to Him. It was God who instructed the Tabernacle to be built so He could dwell among His people.

God loves us so much, He wants to be with us so much, that He will dwell in a house made of something worthless. God loves us so much, that even though He deserves so much better than our best, gladly accepts it, and welcomes our offerings. God deserves for better than the best we could ever offer to Him, and yet He gladly accepts it from us.

Think of what God has done. He dwelt in a tent, unworthy of Him, as His disobedient people camped in the desert. He later came to earth as a man to die on a cross for the Sin of the world. He died for people who would deny His existence, for people who would say that He was a good man but not God. He died and rose again for people that would offer Him their best that wasn't close to good enough, and also for those who would give Him their left overs if they happened to feel like it. Our God truly is amazing.

Let us give our best to God. Even though He is worthy of so much more, He gladly welcomes it because it is from His children. Like the father who proudly displays the indistinguishable scribble of his two year old, God gladly and proudly accepts the gifts of His children, and longs to dwell with them.

To God alone be the glory!

Peace be with you