A Holy Touch
Exodus 30:25-29
“And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy."
Spiritual consecration is as exhausting a work as it is exhaustive, right? Notice how God wants every crevice of this sacred embassy anointed for service. He wants every facet of this ceremonial enterprise drenched in the divine concentrate, every thread on the curtain, every leg of acacia furniture, every tooth on every fork exuding the fragrance and glistening with the reflective sheen of divine communion.
Friend, think of how tired you get just from washing a pile of dishes in the sink, and putting each utensil back in its respective drawer, and wiping down the countertops and table, and sweeping and mopping the floor, and taking out the garbage. Yet as tedious as all that is, cleaning the kitchen isn’t even the essential, life-sustaining work a kitchen is for. A kitchen is for storing food and cooking food and eating food, which means that the tedium of cleaning is just a prologue to the real work. The same is true for Aaron’s priestly ministry. Before Aaron can do all the really important stuff like light candles and furnish the table and offer sacrifices, he needs to wash everything thoroughly by hand. To God, the towel in Aaron’s hand is just as important as the ephod on his chest.
Begin your day today by praying with the Psalmist, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me!” Then, go further. Consecrate the instruments you’ll use in your ministerial work as well. Are you working on a computer? Devote the keyboard and screen to the Lord’s work. Are you driving a car to run some errands? Consecrate the steering wheel for service. Are you washing dishes? Bathe the washcloth in a prayer of dedication.
And remember: whatever your consecrated hands touch today will become holier too.