And Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his shoulders for remembrance. Exodus 28:12 Two onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold filigree, each having 6 names of the sons of Israel engraved on them, in order of their birth. Aaron was to bear these before the LORD on his shoulders… for remembrance. I was asking the LORD who this was for. He wanted their names facing upward, toward Him. And why? Who needed to remember? He doesn’t forget His sons and daughters. As I’ve been happily plodding through these chapters in Exodus, transcribing for myself all the detail of the constructing of the tabernacle and now the…

Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. Proverbs 23:9 I was thinking about how often I’ve been frustrated with God for not giving me a direct answer to a question, not being keen on waiting. I would process those times by thinking He was being silent about it. As I read this proverb and reflect back over the years, a couple of thoughts percolate. The first is: I’m not sure God remained silent as much as He was tending to “first things first.” The picture that comes to mind is of a toddler having asked for a cookie…