Bible Reading
- Exodus 34-35
- Mark 14
- Psalm 22
Prayer Devotional
Exodus 34-35 is a great missional / Great Commission passage. I hadn’t thought of it this way before. I have used it many times for a challenge on giving. And it is that;
- Exodus 34:21 “All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle, for the performance of its rituals, and for the sacred garments.”
- Exodus 35:4-6 Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!” So Moses gave the command to stop giving.
As I was reading this passage this morning, the question came to mind, “Why were these people so eager to give?” The occasion was the building of the Tabernacle. God had just given them His law (Exodus 20). Moses had been relaying to the people the relationship God was prepared to have with them. He had told them that He wanted to be their God, and that He would be their people, exclusively. That He wanted to meet with the personally. But, in order to do that, He would need a place where His presence could dwell among them.
Exodus 28:2 “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them. (8) “Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.”
Therefore, this Tabernacle would be the place where God would meet with them.
Exodus 28:22 “I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.”
The people of Israel longed for God’s presence, and God longed to dwell among His people. When God told them to build a house in which he would dwell with them, they gave willingly. So much that God had to tell them to stop giving. They longed to be a part of building a house for Him in any way they could. The women sewed. Those with skills used their skills. Those God equipped with special skills, taught them to others! Those who had no skills, gave everything willingly until God had everything He needed!
This is a picture of what God longs to see with His spiritual house, the church. God longs for everyone to know Him, and that none would die without knowing Him (2 Pet 3:9). Why do we not have the same excitement today to see God’s church built, as the people in Exodus 35?
My prayer today is that you too will long to be a part of building God’s house, the church in any way you can. If you have skills I pray you will be asking God for how He wants to use your skills in building His church. If you are equipped with special skills of teaching, evangelism, or relational skills, use them for God, but also teach them to others! But, if you don’t have skills to be used, I pray you will be involved in giving so that everything God needs to build His church will be provided!
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