Set Apart

I believe everyone is set apart for something, or made for something. I remember a scene from the movie Chariots of Fire, where the main character says he feels God's pleasure when he runs. He was made to run. There was a guy last night who threw a no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs against the Los Angeles Dodgers. I think his last name is Arriata. That guy is made to pitch a baseball.

I have been somewhat obsessed lately with a capella vocal bands. I especially like those groups that have a bass that can just go down through the basement with his notes. Avi Kaplan with Pentatonix, for example, hits a ridiculously low E1. Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G7HzIpqYyU if you want to hear what that's like. That's basically what I wish I could do, as I love a great bass voice. They say it all depends on how much testosterone was pumping through a boy's body when he was going through puberty. I can get kind of low, but nothing like that, so I guess I had a kind of good dose of it back then! Needless to say, that man was made to sing bass!

Numbers 7 tells the story of The Dwelling being anointed and dedicated when it was finally finished. This means it was set apart. Every tribe brought gifts and offerings. Oxen-pulled carts and wagons to transport The Dwelling. Plates, bowls, vessels, flour, and incense to supply The Dwelling. They offered bulls, rams, goats, and rams for whole burnt offerings, absolution offerings, and peace offerings.

The story ends with Moses. He was set apart himself for a special task. He was the one God spoke to from the area above the Ark of the Testimony inside the Most Holy Place in The Dwelling. Through Moses, God communicated to His people. Through Aaron, the people approached God.

The Dwelling was a place especially set apart for ministry. God ministered His Word to people through Moses. He ministered redemption, illustrating the plan of salvation, through Aaron. That ministry of The Dwelling was to be highly valued, treasured, well-manned, and well supplied for. The character of God was to be well-illustrated.

I think about humanity today. According to the New Testament, we are now The Dwelling. We are the ones who are supposed to be God's ministry to people. Through the Holy Spirit, we are set apart... we are made for God's work! He wants to communicate salvation to all people through His followers. He wants to show the world what He is like through us! Imagine that! His plan of redemption, His character, He wants to show all of this through vessels like us!

I don't know about you, but I don't often feel that pure. The vessels used in Numbers 7 were made of gold and silver. Yet God values me far more than any precious metal.

The question is, do I value myself that much? Do I value what God wants to do in me like that?

How well do I prioritize and value God's work in me? How well do I care for my body? How well am I taking care of my mind (what goes into it... does it rest enough... etc.)? How is my time prioritized? How are my finances prioritized?

Know this much: you are made for great things! In Christ, you are made to be a vessel and Dwelling for the character and ministry of God Himself.

You are valuable. You are treasured. You are greatly sought after by the King of the Universe!

You were made for this!

Do you believe this? Do you accept?