Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, "These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do: For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day." Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is what the Lord has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. "All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests." Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them. Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do." Exodus 35:1-29
As Exodus, Chapter 35, opens, we find Moses starting to pass on God’s guidance and expectations to the Israelites. After a brief reminder about observing the Sabbath, Moses begins to discuss God’s call for the people to bring items that would be used to build the tabernacle and its adornments.
You’ll recall that God had given Moses very specific directions the first time he went before Him on Mount Sinai, providing a blueprint that could be used to construct the tabernacle and its components not only in the present but in the future as well. He told Moses to "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give." (Exodus 25:2). His desire that a person should give if his or her "heart prompts him (or her) to give" leads into Moses’ guidance to Israel in Chapter 35. Note these key expectations for giving…expectations that God not only had in the days of Moses and the Israelites but continues to have for us today.
1. Those who give to the Lord should be willing to do so.
God said, "From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece."
Everyone who is willing. The words resonate in this passage. Being willing to give is far different than the attitude of giving just because you have to. For when a person invites the Holy Spirit into their lives, their hearts are moved to give and give willingly…a willingness to give that pleases God and meets His expectations.
Here’s another scripture that confirms this through the words of David:
"O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. O Lord, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you." 1 Chronicles 29:16-18
This passage leads me to a second point about giving.
2. Everything we have comes from God’s hand and belongs to God.
We tend to cling onto what we have as if we own it. The truth is that we wouldn’t have what we have without God’s mighty, generous providence. When we look at anything we have…we should realize that we only have it because He gave it to us. And when He calls for us to give, He is only asking us to give back to Him what rightfully belongs to Him.
Final point…
3. We can give more than just material things.
Note in our scripture today that God called on people to use their talents that He had blessed them with to take the materials and construct the tabernacle items. Whether they were a builder or a spinner of yarn or linen…whatever their skill was…they were expected to use it to accomplish what God had commanded.
So we can give our skills to do God’s work. We can also share our time, our patience and our love with others. There really is no reason for anyone not to give when it comes right down to it. We all have something we can contribute to make a difference in the life of another.
Question: How would God grade you on the subject of giving? Do you actively seek to give to others? Do you actively seek to use the gifts that God has given you to further His kingdom and glorify His name? Do you see that everything you have really belongs to God for it has come straight from His hand?
As you ponder on these questions, keep your focus on Jesus who is soon to be arrested, falsely accused and crucified. For Jesus gave it all for us. He didn’t withhold His life but rather willingly gave it up for us. His Father expected it from Him…and He expects the same from us. If we’re truly Christian, then we will model Jesus…and if we model Jesus…then we will have no struggles when it comes time for us to consider the matter of giving.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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