READING: Exodus 35:1-36:38
Pam and I love to give to others. It’s just who she is in her heart, and she has stretched me to be sacrificial and joyous in giving even when I’m a bit more cautious about spending. We get great joy out of supporting others out of the blessings God has given us. Nevertheless, the Word about the Hebrews giving to the work of the tabernacle has today convicted me to consider our giving again. Note the repetition not only for today’s reading, but also from one a few days ago:
- “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them” (Exo 25:2)
- “Take a sacred offering for the Lord. Let those with generous hearts present the following gifts to the Lord” (Exo 35:5)
- “All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord” (Exo 35:21)
- “Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing” (Exo 35:22)
- “All those who owned the following items willingly brought them” (Exo 35:23)
- “So the people of Israel—every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the Lord had given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave them freely to the Lord” (Exo 35:29)
So generously did the people give, in fact, that they gave more than enough to get the job done—and Moses actually asked them to stop giving! I love how this writer describes why God grants us this opportunity to give: “Although God himself could provide anything ever needed for his purposes, including his worship, he delegated to his people the opportunity to do so and thereby gave to them the gift of experiencing generosity and self-sacrifice, as well as a sense of direct involvement in their essential ongoing relationship with him.”* We get to be a part of God’s work, and we get to give to Him from the blessings He has given us in the first place. What an honor!
TODAY’S PRAYER: “God, thank You for the privilege of giving to do Your work!”
TOMORROW’S READING: Exodus 37:1-39:31
*Stuart, D. K. (2006). Exodus (Vol. 2, p. 563). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
