Wednesdays with Moses

Exodus 25:10-16

¹⁰ “And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height. ¹¹ And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of gold all around. ¹² You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings on the other side.¹³ And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them. ¹⁵ The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.¹⁶ And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.

The Ark of the Covenant was the representation of God’s presence among the people of Israel. This “box” would play a critical role in their daily lives as they moved across the wilderness and would be a centerpiece of their worship until it finally rested in the future temple that Solomon would build.

It’s interesting to see what was put inside this special box. The tablets of God’s commands, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s rod were placed in the Ark as reminders of God’s purposes and His faithfulness. You could say that their memories were to be a part of their worship for God had been faithful to them in so many important moments.

Our memories are just as critical to our worship. When we remember what God has done, we find the confidence and the faith to believe He will help us again and again. Those who forget God’s blessings often must “start from scratch” in demonstrating faith. But a good memory gives you plenty of reasons to believe for today’s challenges.

What has God done to prove His love and power in your life? How can those memories help you to trust Him more today? Think on those memories throughout the day and give thanks to God once again for all He has done in your life.

– Dr. Mike Clarensau serves as Senior Director of the Healthy Church Network of the Assemblies of God.