Exodus 38:8: “He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.”

December 12th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

These serving women gave up their polished brass hand mirrors as an offering to the Lord. Notice it says they were “the serving women who assembled at the door.” The offering of these women was in itself a symbol of self-dedication. One ancient Jewish tradition says these were godly women who came daily to the door of the tent of meeting to seek God in prayer. Their interest was communication with God.

We cannot be sure exactly which tabernacle or tent of meeting is meant here. A straight forward reading would suggest that this is Moses’ tent, which was mentioned in Exodus 33:7. The other possibility is that this refers to the tabernacle not yet built and is mentioned here in anticipation. In that manner, this would mean that they were women who resolved to be praying and later were.

So why is this detail mentioned here? Perhaps because a mirror speaks of self-scrutiny, and this is reminding us that we must guard against a morbid introspection. Such thoughts take our attention off the finished work of Jesus Christ, reducing His vital spiritual life in us into some kind of legal obligation or duty. If all we do is drudge up past, confessed failures and disappointments, we miss the mark. No doubt this passage is meant to point us to a cure for our unhealthy introspection. These women became so interested in serving God that they were weaned from their mirrors. We need to go find some service to do for the Lord. We need balance, living in the healthy center of God and His plans for our lives. Then we will be able to abandon the habit of deadly self-scrutiny.

“LORD, please show us some place or way that we can serve You in some small way this day.”