Exodus 38:8-20: a reflection

8He made the basin of bronze, and its base of bronze, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 9He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits; 10their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. 11For the north side one hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 12For the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 13For the east side eastward fifty cubits, 14the hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three; 15and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen. 17The sockets for the pillars were of bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. Their capitals were overlaid with silver. All the pillars of the court had silver bands. 18The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height along the width was five cubits, like the hangings of the court. 19Their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of bronze; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver. 20All the pins of the tabernacle, and around the court, were of bronze.

In the making of the tabernacle, a small but touching detail is recorded. The bronze basin, where the priests would wash, was made from the mirrors of the ministering women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting. These women gave up their bronze mirrors, personal possessions, objects tied to appearance and self-regard, to be melted down and made into something for God's service. What they had used to look at themselves became a vessel for the worship of God.

Notice what these women surrendered, and what it became. Their mirrors were personal possessions, things of everyday use, perhaps even things tied to vanity and self-focus; and they gave them up gladly to be made into the basin for God's house. What had served their own reflection now served God's worship. There is a quiet beauty in this, the willing surrender of something valued, even something tied to self-regard, for God's use.

That prompts a question about our own willingness to surrender what we value for God. These women gave up their mirrors, their personal possessions, even things bound up with self-focus, for the service of God; and their gift became part of his house. What are we willing to surrender for God's use? Sometimes he asks us to give up not only our resources, but things tied to our self-image, our vanity, our self-regard, to be turned to his service instead. Consider what you might surrender, even things you value or that feed your self-focus, for God's work. Like these women, give gladly what is yours, even what is tied to yourself, to be made into something that serves God; for what is surrendered to him becomes part of his purpose.

Lord, in the making of the tabernacle, the ministering women gave up their bronze mirrors, personal possessions tied to appearance and self-regard, to be made into the basin for your service; what they had used to look at themselves became a vessel for your worship. Prompt me by their example. What am I willing to surrender for your use? These women gave up not only their possessions, but things bound up with self-focus, for the service of you; and their gift became part of your house. Sometimes you ask me to give up not only my resources, but things tied to my self-image, my vanity, my self-regard, to be turned to your service. Show me what I might surrender, even things I value or that feed my self-focus, for your work. Like these women, help me give gladly what is mine, even what is tied to myself, to be made into something that serves you. What is surrendered to you becomes part of your purpose; help me surrender freely.