The following is an excerpt from our book True Intimacy.
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Moreover, he made the laver [or basin] of bronze, from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Exodus 38:8
The basin of washing, or laver of bronze depending on your translation, was made from the mirrors of the women. This means that every time the priests washed themselves so that they could enter the presence of the LORD in the temple they saw their reflection in the mirrored bottom of the basin. God still uses this technique on us today. He calls us to look at ourselves and our actions and face the fact that we are not perfect but sinful beings in need of His help. Then we get to move on into a closer and more intimate relationship with Him. Today, He is holding the mirror before your face. What do you see?
The mirror: Fold a piece of paper in half so that it looks like a hot dog bun (the preschool teacher in me just came out). Now keeping the paper folded, on the first side write down everything that your husband does that just drives you mad. Once you’ve finished your list, open up the paper and on the second column write your reactions to each of those things. For example:
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The Mirror: |
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What he does that drives me crazy: |
My reaction to that: |
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1) He leaves his dirty dishes in the living room. |
I yell at him for being lazy and making me do all the work around the house. |
Next, fold the paper back up and look only at column two. Read down the list of your reactions. This is what you look like to your husband. This is what he sees.
I had a couple of nights in a row where Christian came home very very late on school nights, I was sitting at my desk writing and just fuming because he wasn’t home yet, and God said to me, “Tamar, why would he want to come home to this? Why would he WANT to rush home to you being cold and mad at him?” The first night God said this to me, I didn’t care, I was mad and I was going to let Christian know it. On the second night, it made me think, “why WOULD he want to come home to that? I wouldn’t.” In Proverbs 20:11 it says “It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself if his conduct is pure and right.” We are known by our actions, what are your reactions saying about you?
Tamar Knochel 