What Have We Given Up?

What Have We Given Up?“And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking-glasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation” (Exodus 38:8).“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

Let’s face it – women are usually more concerned with their appearance than are men. For these women of Israel to give up their mirrors of polished metal so that Moses could make the laver is significant. The laver was a wash-basin, between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, where the priests could wash their hands and feet lest they die when they came before the Lord. The priests would always be able to wash before coming to the Lord because these women gave up something that was important to them.

What have we given up to meet with the Lord? Or are we so concerned with ourselves that we forsake the assembling of ourselves together to meet with the Lord? Why were these women assembling there anyway? I think they wanted to be as close to the Lord as possible, for they willingly gave up what was dear to them.

“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).

“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was” (James 1:23-24).

By Tom Steere