Exodus 38-40:16

The artisans continue to build the Dwelling for the ark of the commandments, as well as creating the vestments for Aaron and his sons. The emphasis throughout the passage is that in doing so, "the Israelites did the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses." Did an artisan from time to time ask himself, or a co-worker, "Why does the Lord want pomegranates and bells sewn at the bottom of the priestly vestments?" or "Why does the Lord want the breastpiece embroidered with gold thread and violet, purple, and scarlet yarn?" If they were anything like me, they surely did. Is that a bad thing? Moses certainly questions God at times, implores Him to change His Mind. Yes, the Lord's ways are inscrutable. But is it wrong for us to "scrute" occasionally and ask Him why? We are searching for truth in our lives and our minds won't rest until we find it. Many have said this in one way or another--St. Paul, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas (his feast day was this week!) among many. And only in Jesus do we find the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So the search for truth, the "scruting", is a way in which we express that restlessness and try to find God, even if we don't always recognize it as such. That does not mean that, in the end, I don't (or I shouldn't) "do as the Lord commanded", but it does encourage me to seek out the truth and ask God questions when I don't understand, but want to.