The Beauty of obedience
Next Bezalel used acacia wood to construct the square altar of burnt offering. It was 7-1/2 feet wide, 7-1/2 feet long, and 4-1/2 feet high. He made horns for each of its four corners so that the horns and altar were all one piece. He overlaid the altar with bronze. ~ Exodus 38:1-2
Have you ever wondered if the small, unseen things you do for God really matter? It’s easy to think that only the big moments or public acts of faith have impact, but Exodus 38 reminds us that every act of obedience holds value in God’s eyes. In this chapter, the Israelites continued to build the tabernacle, carefully crafting each piece exactly as the Lord had instructed. From the bronze altar to the courtyard, every detail mattered because it was part of a holy purpose.
I’ve always held positions where I served faithfully in what felt like a background role, and honestly, that’s where I’ve always been most comfortable. Week after week, I am happy to work behind the scenes, organizing, preparing, and supporting others, without much recognition and never really considering the importance of the work. It isn’t glamorous work, but I know it is needed. Over time, God has shown me that even those unseen moments mattered deeply to Him. Those quiet acts of service are like pieces of bronze in His greater structure. Just as every element of the tabernacle contributed to creating a place for His presence, my willingness to serve in the background is part of making space for God to move in the lives of others.
God still works this way today. He uses our faithfulness in the ordinary to build something extraordinary. Every time you serve, give, or show kindness, you are helping to establish a place for His presence to dwell. The altar in Exodus 38 represented worship, surrender, and sacrifice. In the same way, your obedience, no matter how simple or seemingly insignificant, becomes a form of worship when offered with a willing heart.
Here are some practical ways to apply this truth in your life:
- Start by giving your daily work to God, no matter how routine it feels. Invite Him to use it for His purpose.
- Be faithful in what He has already placed in your hands. Small acts of obedience prepare you for greater opportunities.
- Offer your time, gifts, and resources with gratitude, not out of obligation. God values your willing spirit more than the size of your offering.
- Notice the ways God is using your efforts to touch others, even if you don’t see results right away. Trust that He is working through your obedience.
- Take a moment to thank God for the privilege of being part of His work. Every contribution matters to Him.
Today I want to encourage you to see your obedience as sacred. Whether your service is noticed or not, it is seen by God and carries eternal weight. Just like the builders of the tabernacle, your hands are helping to create a place where His presence can dwell. Keep building, keep serving, and keep offering what you have with a willing heart. God is taking every piece you bring and using it to form something beautiful for His glory.
Today’s scripture reading: Exodus 38
1 Next Bezalel used acacia wood to construct the square altar of burnt offering. It was 7-1/2 feet wide, 7-1/2 feet long, and 4-1/2 feet high.
2 He made horns for each of its four corners so that the horns and altar were all one piece. He overlaid the altar with bronze.
3 Then he made all the altar utensils of bronze—the ash buckets, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans.
4 Next he made a bronze grating and installed it halfway down the side of the altar, under the ledge.
5 He cast four rings and attached them to the corners of the bronze grating to hold the carrying poles.
6 He made the poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze.
7 He inserted the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar. The altar was hollow and was made from planks.
8 Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
9 Then Bezalel made the courtyard, which was enclosed with curtains made of finely woven linen. On the south side the curtains were 150 feet long.
10 They were held up by twenty posts set securely in twenty bronze bases. He hung the curtains with silver hooks and rings.
11 He made a similar set of curtains for the north side—150 feet of curtains held up by twenty posts set securely in bronze bases. He hung the curtains with silver hooks and rings.
12 The curtains on the west end of the courtyard were 75 feet long, hung with silver hooks and rings and supported by ten posts set into ten bases.
13 The east end, the front, was also 75 feet long.
14 The courtyard entrance was on the east end, flanked by two curtains. The curtain on the right side was 22-1/2 feet long and was supported by three posts set into three bases.
15 The curtain on the left side was also 22-1/2 feet long and was supported by three posts set into three bases.
16 All the curtains used in the courtyard were made of finely woven linen.
17 Each post had a bronze base, and all the hooks and rings were silver. The tops of the posts of the courtyard were overlaid with silver, and the rings to hold up the curtains were made of silver.
18 He made the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard of finely woven linen, and he decorated it with beautiful embroidery in blue, purple, and scarlet thread. It was 30 feet long, and its height was 7-1/2 feet, just like the curtains of the courtyard walls.
19 It was supported by four posts, each set securely in its own bronze base. The tops of the posts were overlaid with silver, and the hooks and rings were also made of silver.
20 All the tent pegs used in the Tabernacle and courtyard were made of bronze.
21 This is an inventory of the materials used in building the Tabernacle of the Covenant. The Levites compiled the figures, as Moses directed, and Ithamar son of Aaron the priest served as recorder.
22 Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
23 He was assisted by Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman expert at engraving, designing, and embroidering with blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth.
24 The people brought special offerings of gold totaling 2,193 pounds, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. This gold was used throughout the Tabernacle.
25 The whole community of Israel gave 7,545 pounds of silver, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel.
26 This silver came from the tax collected from each man registered in the census. (The tax is one beka, which is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel.) The tax was collected from 603,550 men who had reached their twentieth birthday.
27 The hundred bases for the frames of the sanctuary walls and for the posts supporting the inner curtain required 7,500 pounds of silver, about 75 pounds for each base.
28 The remaining 45 pounds of silver was used to make the hooks and rings and to overlay the tops of the posts.
29 The people also brought as special offerings 5,310 pounds of bronze,
30 which was used for casting the bases for the posts at the entrance to the Tabernacle, and for the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all the altar utensils.
31 Bronze was also used to make the bases for the posts that supported the curtains around the courtyard, the bases for the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard, and all the tent pegs for the Tabernacle and the courtyard.
Journal:
- What small act of obedience is God calling me to today?
- How can I offer it with joy knowing it contributes to His greater work?
The Daily Dose 