TENT OF MEETING
First of four devotions in Tent of Meeting Series
Exodus 33:7-10
“Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the ‘tent of meeting.’ Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke to Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshipped, each at the entrance to his tent.”
Ms. Landis charged her 4th grade students, “I expect more from you. For the next five minutes, I want you to lay your heads down on your desks. Close your eyes, and think about why I’m so angry.”
Thousands of people (mostly men) flock to the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pray. They find privacy amidst the throng crammed against the wall, and speak to God. Often, they slip folds of paper with written prayer requests in the cracks of the wall for God to answer. Each man wears a shawl, called a talith, draped over his head.
The prayer shawl is named from two words. “Tal” means tent, and “ith” means little. Jewish people continue following this custom today because of its meaning. They envision that when wearing prayer shawls over their heads, their entire beings are devoted to fulfilling and following God’s Word. The shawls are personal prayer closets, little tents of meeting.
Inside these prayer closets, each person speaks to God privately and intimately. And like Moses, they KNOW that He hears them. Not a bad idea, is it? Many faithful Christians wear a head covering to church. Piety (PI-e-tee means godliness) and modesty (MOD-es-tee means reserved, humility) are two reasons that Christians wear head scarfs. Many faiths, Judaism and Islam for example, forbid women to be seen in public with their hair flowing freely.
Where do you speak to God? Inside your bedroom? No matter where we meet God in prayer, we can imagine that we’re inside a little tent of meeting.
Take Home Nugget
“OK. Miguel, can you tell me why I am angry at the class today?” Ms. Landis asked.
Miguel raised his head. “Well, we acted up when you left the room for a couple minutes.”
“And, Jules, why should I trust you in the future?”
“Uh, because we learned our lesson?”
Holy Father, I admit that I disobeyed You today. Please help me, through Your Son Jesus, to obey every command from now on. Amen.
J.D. Griffith
A personal, private lesson experience with our staff
Written for http://www.biblestudyforkids.com/
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