The next few posts are from a 5 part devotional series I shared with our Kingdom Builder's team at church (before we transitioned it more to a community). It's pulling and tracing the thread found in the story of Israel and the exodus. While I'm posting these, I'm pulling at a thread that kept coming up as I've been reading the bible this past year and will hopefully be able to make a thread of posts (yes I said thread again) after this 5 part series.
Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, (7) tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, (8) oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, (9) and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. (29) All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.
Exodus 35:5–9, 29
Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, (7) tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, (8) oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, (9) and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. (29) All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.
Exodus 35:5–9, 29
Finally, Israel had the chance to use what God had given them for His purpose, and they freely did so. All of this was so that people could be close to God, that God could live amongst His people, and they could interact with Him. So that they could live in His blessing and show the world who God is and what He wants from us to be in relationship, so that others too could turn to God (remember that promise to Abraham that all the world would be blessed by his offspring?).
This was a big deal, a big part of God’s plan. To us today it can seem so rigid and so full of rules and ceremony, but when you compare it to what other people groups were doing to try and gain the favour of their “gods”, it was actually incredibly freeing and generous of God.
For this to happen, a lot was asked. This wasn’t a “this will do” kind of project, it was a project using the best of the best to make something beautiful so that people could worship God in their midst. But again, it has to be pointed out that God had provided Israel with the best of the best, everything they needed to fulfil God’s plan. And even though they’d made many missteps along the way, when the time came and a lot was asked, a lot was given. People generously gave their best as their hearts were moved.
Some quick observations and encouragement:
- Building something great for God will cost us, but God provides everything we need to do it
- God wants the best, and when we give Him our best it is something that honours God and allows others to see His glory too
- There were many different things needed, don’t think that you don’t have something to contribute
- Even if we have misused what God has given us in the past, God will still give us the chance to use it for His purpose today
- People gave as their hearts were moved, don’t be afraid of what your heart is moved to give
- This wasn’t achieved by a few rich people, but by many people giving generously according to what they had. Everyone has a part to play, and the more who give the more we can do