Jami and I have been married for nearly 27 years this July. Two. Seven. Twenty-seven. And even though it’s been nearly three decades, I can still remember the first time we went out by ourselves… well, at least the first time I picked her up and drove her on our first official date. The feeling of being nervous. The feeling of excitement. The hope of her liking the cologne I was wearing. The looking forward to seeing and simply being in the same room as her… hoping she was feeling the same thing about me.

There’s just something deep within us that has a desire to be met. Not avoided. Not managed. Not put off until later. We all know how that feels. But to have someone who deeply desires to be with us… To be seen… To be known… And welcomed right where we are.

In Exodus chapter 30, verse six, God gives Moses specific instructions where the altar of incense should be placed within the tabernacle. You see, the priests would burn fragrant incense on it every morning and every evening. Check out where this was placed…

“Place the incense altar just outside the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant, in front of the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that covers the tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant…” – Exodus 30:6

And then, at the end of this verse He, God, says something so very deeply personal…

“I will meet with you there.”

You see, this isn’t just about God going all Joanna Gaines on Moses want the exact placement of furniture within the tabernacle! Oh, make no mistake, it is about a God who is creating a space. But it’s an intentional creating a space for an encounter with people. The location of where God instructs Moses to place this altar of incense is key… it sat right on the threshold of the presence of God.

As priest would burn the incense day and night, as the incense rose up it signified prayer rising to God Himself. “Accept my prayer as an incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.” (Psalm 141:2) “And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” (Revelation 5:8) The incense never stopped burning. This signified continual worship and dependence on God. It was there where God promised to meet with the people of Israel.

And here’s what’s powerful… this meeting wasn’t initiated by humans who were perfect… I mean, even the priests weren’t perfect. No one was or is perfect. This meeting wasn’t initiated by humans… It was a divine invitation to meet by God Himself.

“I will meet with you there.”

God is the one who establishes the meeting place. And as we read through Scripture we can trace this straight to Jesus.

“At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,” – Matthew 27:51

It’s through the sacrifice made by Jesus that the veil of the Old Testament was torn. And what was once “restricted access” only accessible by the priests, becomes open for all to have access. And get this, the “there” we see in Exodus 30 is no longer a specific physical location, but now a relational reality!

Now… right now… God no longer simply meets people in physical temples, but now in the hearts of people surrendered to Him. And here’s what this means for each one of us today… We often think we have to have everything together before we meet with God. Clean thoughts. Strong faith. Perfect consistent living.

Exodus 30:6 reminds us that God isn’t waiting for perfection, He’s inviting us into His presences. The question isn’t, “Am I ready enough?” The question is, “Will I accept His invitation and meet with Him there?”

Where is your “there” right now? It might be a quiet moment in the house before everyone else wakes up. It might be on your break at work. It might be in your car as you drive around town. Or it might be in the five honest minutes where you stop pretending and start communicating with God Himself.

That place, wherever your “there” is, might seem ordinary. But when God meets you there, it becomes sacred. It’s a simple invitation, but one that holds so much power. Wherever your “there” is, turn your attention to God. He’s ready to meet with you…

“I will meet with you there.”

Not someday. Not when you’re “good” enough. But right in the middle of your everyday life. Wherever your “there” is, He’s already there waiting. God doesn’t want a ritual to be followed, He died to have a relationship with you today.

“By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.” – Hebrews 10:20