Tomorrow I teach Exodus.
Tomorrow I will stand in front of a classroom full of people and wax (semi-)eloquently for two and a half hours.
Tomorrow all of my prep is summed up in a few brief hours.
It has been such a privilege to be studying and teaching the Bible full-time. And I'm even more amazed that I feel like I am growing and being impacted by the book and my teaching time than the students most likely are. I'm walking away from my journey through Exodus extremely humbled by the process.
I've put my lecture together, my powerpoint is ready to go and I have things to talk about but I feel the things of the heart, how God has REALLY touched my life through this book will not be the primary content of tomorrow or Wednesday. That's probably a good thing though...this lecture is not about me and my transformation, but about God and what he did throughout history to love and care for his people.
God's really been speaking and teaching me a lot about "being" lately...and I have to admit that I tend to roll my eyes at people who feel like God is teaching them this. They get all over-emotional and just spend "soaking" time with God and slack in their responsibilities because God is teaching them it's okay not to be perfect all the time. So, if you're rolling your eyes at me, no worries friend, you're in good company.
But he truly is...and it's not so much about stopping and laying on the floor with my arms stretched out listening to praise music for hours while my lecture notes sit neglected on the table. But, it's more about allowing my heart to grapple with the fact that God chose to make his dwelling place with man. You know...he is perfection itself and he chooses to dwell with imperfection and sin...and not only that but to have relationship with people who reject him and do their best but always fail. God chooses us. God chooses me, Danika.
The students have read through Exodus in preparation for class and studying this week already and I've heard that the "part on the tabernacle is boring!"...which yeah, I don't really care how many cubits the curtains were either. But the tabernacle is touching my heart and moving me to tears at times because God dwells....God resides, he created this picture for the Israelites that expressed a spiritual reality for all time. God dwells with his people. God is not far off. He is not hidden. He is with me.
And because God chose to make his dwelling place with man, I don't earn anything from God. Who I am is who I am and God is with me. Yes, I want less sin in my life. Yes, I want to be less selfish. Yes, I want to be better at what I do and able to connect with people in a way that God is honored and I can go deeper with people. Yes, I want to do well at my job. But all those things don't define the personhood of Danika. I am who I am and I am the temple of the Holy Spirit.
I don't even know how to put these things into words today....which is probably good I'm not spending my six teaching hours talking through all of this. But, I am amazed today. Amazed by a dwelling God. We make a big choice when we choose to live together on this earth, whether roommates or living with family or the ultimate choosing to live together: marriage. But the fact that God pursued humanity and is present with us, though we reject him and question him and misunderstand him and for some even hate him, this humbles me.
If this concept moves your heart, take some time to meditate on Rev. 21. This is our eternal destiny with God. Amazing.
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