kindergarten in Israel

Portion:  Exodus 35:1 - 38:20

The Lord chose Bezalel as Chief Artisan of the Tabernacle. 

Bezalel was filled with gifts:

 the spirit of God and with

skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts.

In the New Testament, Paul talks about gifts given to believers, who make up the living church:

Gifts of healing

Administration

Miraculous powers

Prophesy, etc.

HOWEVER, Paul continues with his famous 'Corinthians 13' chapter on love. 

Remember last fall when I wrote about my traveling goal?

I said I wanted to truly love my husband, and to travel with him for several months would be (not only a pilgrimage) but a very good test of our love....

This weekend we rented a car and drove to Tiberias.  Thursday we spent a romantic night on the Sea of Galilee right on the lakeshore with a balcony almost jutting into the water.  In conversation, my husband said he thought I lacked patience.

imagine that!!?

Friday we looped through the Golan Heights in Northern Israel, and around the Sea of Gailee, past Capernaum.

I imagined Jesus teaching by the lake and calling his disciples. The Galilee is where Jesus built the first 'living' church.

In the story of Exodus, God gave gifts to men and women in order for them to create a tabernacle.
In 2011, God continues to give gifts to those who believe and who are willing to build his church.


Love is the pre-requisite to using our gifts to benefit others.

I long to be a more disciplined, creative, prophetic & spiritual person.....but if love is a pre-requisite,

put me back in kindergarten. I still need to learn that love is

patient

kind

does not envy

does not boast

is not rude

is not self-seeking

is not easily angered

keeps no record of wrongs

does not delight in evil

rejoices with the truth

always protects

always trusts

always hopes

always perserveres

never fails

This week I'm heading back to America while my husband begins a 2-week 'School of Ministry' course in Haifa.  We will be back in Wisconsin at the end of March, earlier than originally planned.  We still love each other and YES we are the best of friends.

Our journey has not been a vacation; it's been more like graduate school. My Duluth friend was right when she said,

'You will never be the same!'

Somewhere between graduate school and kindergarten,

I hope to be more patient and kind. 

Simple, worthy goals, ok?

Shabbat Shalom!