The Glory of Chores

Scripture: Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses. Exodus 38:22
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Observation: Exodus 37 and 38 go into great detail to describe the construction of the tabernacle, especially the ark, the furniture, and the décor of the room. All of this seemed to be crafted by Bezalel.

Application: When I first saw today’s reading, I thought, “What can God say to me through a description of a room?” As I read, I saw the detail, the care, the craftsmanship that Bezalel displayed in his work. His work was not merely a job; it was for the Lord. His handiwork proclaimed his belief in the glory of the Lord.
How I work with my hands can honor and proclaim God. While I work hard at my job, the chores I do around my house don’t get the same attention. But viewed the right way, even these acts can be a way for me to honor God. And it can be something I teach my kids—the simple value of a job well done, done for the Lord. I think specifically of our back porch, covered with leaves for months now. There is a way for me to clean that as unto the Lord. As I work with care, I can do a good job because my God appreciates craftsmanship and work done for him. You can tell by looking at the sky above. I’m doing the porch this weekend.

Prayer: God, I want to learn the value of work well done, and instill that in my kids. Help me to joyfully embrace chores around my house, especially those cleaning days that seem to cause so much friction in our home. Let me work with the detail and care of Bezalel.