Day #267 - Deeper

The Presence - A Devotional for Living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder

““For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. It shall have four pillars and four sockets.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭27:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash

Have you ever been in a building and you are surprised by how much more there is inside than you anticipated could have been in there?

The church we pastor meets in a warehouse and I often hear from people who are newer that they are surprised by everything that fits inside. There are so many rooms, hallways and doors that people get kind of lost inside sometimes. The deeper you go there is more to see. While the warehouse may not look like much from the outside, it is full of amazing people who are hungry for God in the center where we worship Jesus in the sanctuary. The deeper you enter in to the building you realize there is more for you to experience and see. 

Every part and detail of the Tabernacle had significant meaning. The Tabernacle had 3 curtains called, the veil, the door and the gate. The veil separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place (or Inner Court). The door separated the Inner Court from the Outer Court. Finally, the Gate separated the Outer Court from the camp outside and was the entrance into the Tabernacle. Jesus is the entrance through the gate, the door and the veil. This imagery is throughout the Psalms, John and Hebrews.

The way to go deeper into “the Presence” is always through Jesus. Many people in American Christianity seem to think that Jesus is where you start but then you have to move on to go deeper. There is nothing deeper than Jesus the incarnate God who came to us making a way from heaven to earth through His perfect offering on the cross.

I often say there is not more than the gospel but there is more in the gospel. All depth is truly found in Jesus but as the tabernacle shows us, we may have entered into the gate but there is so much more for us deeper behind the door and the veil. This doesn’t mean there are specific levels of superiority. But it does show us that we must respond with hunger and willingness to grow in our relationship with God through Jesus.

Many Christians are content to stay back in the comfort of the outer court. Jesus had about 500 somewhat faithful followers after His death and resurrection it appears, but only 120 waited on Him in the upper room. Jesus had 70 disciples in Luke 10. But He spent most of His time with 12. Of the 12 only 3 were intimately close and  only 1 was truly there for Him in His greatest time of need. Jesus appeared to 500 but why did only 120 press into the promise? Jesus chose 12 but why did only 3 stay close? The answer is they went deeper into relationship with Him. 

Don’t be content believer to stay in the outer court. Go deeper in Him. It’s all about Jesus but there is more in Him than You know or have experienced. The deeper You go, the great the glory and the more of His presence is available. May You take the invitation to go deeper and closer to His heart. 

Lord Jesus, all of my life is found in You. Call me past the Outer Courts and into the Holy Place. Take me deeper still behind the Veil into the Most Holy Place. I want to know Your heart and continue on this journey of pressing into greater glory! O that I might behold the glory of Your dwelling place. In Your Holy name, amen.