Christ is made the sure foundation
In our worship this week in Exodus we read of the setting up of the tabernacle of God as the people of Israel escaped from captivity in Egypt and how much they donated towards their place of worship, especially the making of a wonderful 7 branched lamp stand that was to give light to the whole place.
As we know, they reached a place of safety after many years of wandering and in time a permanent stone temple was built in Jerusalem. This was the focus of their identity and their spiritual home.
But as we went on to read in Jeremiah, they were invaded, the temple was destroyed and all the precious items were taken away as plunder and most of the people were taken away into a foreign land, back into captivity. Everything gone.
This total overwhelming happens as the stability and the status quo on which we base our lives gets shaken and broken. It happens in so many different ways and by many different forces.
It happens to nations, to communities, to families and individuals as what seemed so permanent is destroyed by change and forces we cannot control.
Our final hymn, written in 1899 by Robert Bridges based on a hymn written around 1680 in German by Joachim Neander has these verses:
All my hope on God is founded, all my trust he will renew;
safe through change and chance he guides me, only good and only true.
God unknown, he alone calls my heart to be his own.
Human pride and earthly glory, sword and crown betray God’s trust;
though with care and toil we build them, tower and temple fall to dust.
But God’s power, hour by hour, is my temple and my tower.
God’s great goodness lasts for ever, deep his wisdom passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him, beauty springing out of naught.
Evermore, from his store new-born worlds rise and adore.
