By Beholding We become Changed

God commanded Moses to build a bronze basin and place water in it for the priest to wash themselves. This was God’s wonderful provision for our cleansing. As we work together to clean and decorate the new church, we learned a wonderful lesson of cleansing. The old windows were wiped clean so all the natural light can shine into the Sanctuary — as the curtains and blinds were cleaned and drawn up, the sun shone in and we were in awe. The clean up transformed the whole place. We truly need some cleansing and can be transformed by it.

Reflection on the cleansing and the Bronze Laver by Isabelle (14)

The laver in the Sanctuary Courtyard was placed between the tabernacle and the altar. It was used for the high priest, Aaron at the time, and his sons, the priests, to wash their hands and feet in the water before going into the tabernacle or before they came to burn an offering at the altar.

God emphasised the need for cleansing by using the laver in the courtyard. The laver is also needed by us today as we need to be cleansed from our sins. We can be cleansed by repenting and confessing our sins to God. Just like David who cried out to God and begged for a new clean heart. He confessed all his sins and acknowledged that he had done wrong against God and as a result, God was able to forgive Him and cleansed him from his sins. After we have been cleansed by Jesus’ blood, we “die to self” and Christ lives in us.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow…
…Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:7,10

Conversation during our Sunday working bee

Ivy (3): Aunty El, I cannot reach the top of the window!
Me: That’s ok Ivy, I can wipe the top and you can wipe the bottom part.
Ivy: (beaming with a smile) Yes! That works! I really like working for God. It’s fun. Look! The windows are so clean!
Hannah (6): (looking out and seeing the boys in the garden) We are working very hard but I’m having fun and I’m happy. Why don’t we get the boys to come and help us clean the windows too?
Matilda (6): The boys preferred to be outside. They are more (whispering) adventurous.
Me: Don’t worry girls, we all are working and the boys have other jobs to do. That is why God created us all to be unique. We all have different gifts and we can use our gifts together for God. And for now, your job is cleaning the windows. But are we having fun?
They all smiled and said “YES!”

Afterwards, I asked the children how they feel working tirelessly for the church.

Caleb (12): I enjoyed working in the sanctuary because I had a lot of my friends there, but also because I enjoyed making the church look nice for God.
Hannah, Ivy and Matilda: We had the best day ever. We like working for God.

Reflection

The cleaning and working together at the church transformed us. We were able to examine ourselves to see our weaknesses and it also allowed us to see other’s strengths. And together as a church, we reflect Jesus’ characters through our activities and the dealing with one another. The children who came to help learned valuable lessons of being helpful to others and God. They also learned that together we could do more and achieve more. 

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

Interestingly the Bronze Laver in Moses’ time was made from the mirrors donated by the women working at the Sanctuary. A mirror is a tool we need to examine ourselves to see the need for physical cleansing. And Jesus is the reflection we need to see for spiritual cleansing.

Reflection on the Bronze Laver and the mirrors by Keira (14)

The laver in the Sanctuary Courtyard was made from bronze out of the mirror stands of the women who helped with the sanctuary. 

He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.

Exodus 38:8

The mirror signifies being transformed into God’s image with all His glory and spirit by looking into a mirror made of the Lord’s glory and that we have the image of God in us. 

We need to reflect God to others through our actions, words and character by praying and asking for God to lead us throughout the day every morning. We could also try and help others to behold the image of God by slowly teaching them what we know about His spirit and the truth of the bible.

The empty church is now looking more and more welcoming. Everything in the church reminds us of how we work together to set it up. The donation from the people attending the church, the planning, the helping hands, big and small, all come together for God’s glory. This will be our place of worship and as we walk into the church, let us all see the glory of our creator who inspired all the work in this church. Let us all be reminded of the need to examine ourselves and to realise the need of being cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. Let us all be cleansed and transformed into the image of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Next week we will move into the holy place in the Sanctuary and explore the items there. Please follow us to see the progress of our church setup.

Blessings,
El