So I Fix My Eyes
  • Blog
    • Here I Am to Worship
    • Father to the Fatherless
    • Who is God? >
      • Who is God Series
  • Bible Studies
    • John 7-21
    • Ruth
    • Hosea
    • Colossians
    • II Corinthians
    • Philippians
    • Exodus
    • 2 Timothy
    • John 1-6
  • Recommended Reads
    • Book Reviews
  • Girls Corner
    • Engaged to a Heavenly Bridegroom
    • All for Him Only
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Here I Am to Worship
    • Father to the Fatherless
    • Who is God? >
      • Who is God Series
  • Bible Studies
    • John 7-21
    • Ruth
    • Hosea
    • Colossians
    • II Corinthians
    • Philippians
    • Exodus
    • 2 Timothy
    • John 1-6
  • Recommended Reads
    • Book Reviews
  • Girls Corner
    • Engaged to a Heavenly Bridegroom
    • All for Him Only
  • About
  • Contact

a study through Exodus on how God shapes His leaders

The Making of God's Leaders

Everyone Has a Role Building God's House

7/11/2020

 
Picture
​After Moses returned from Mount Sinai and the people of Israel recovered from his radiant appearance, Moses assembled the people and re-gave them God’s Ten Commandments and then shared with them God’s instructions for building the Tabernacle. Remember, these were instructions God gave Moses back in Exodus 29-31.  However, the Israelites never got to hear these instructions because of their idol worship and rebellion.
 
Now, after a couple months and the death of thousands of their number, the Israelites finally get to hear the message God gave Moses for them.  A message of hope and comfort, since God renewed His covenant with the people and promised to be with them through their journey.  But God did ask one thing of the Israelites.  He asked them to build Him a dwelling place and to contribute to it as their heart led them. Moses was not going to take a mandatory collection, but the people were to give freely and as they felt led. The result was an amazing outpouring of generosity from a previously rebellious people.
“And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.  So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD.  And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them.  Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD’s contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it.  And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen.  All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair.  And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense.  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 35:21-29
​I know that was a long passage of Scripture, however, by including it, I wanted you to see an important point:  God sees and knows everyone’s contribution, no matter how small.  The small piece of acacia wood one man brought might have seemed insignificant and unimportant, but God saw it and included it in the Bible.  The hours the women spent spinning and weaving to make yarn and cloth may have gone unnoticed by many, but God saw the gift and recorded it.
 
God was not concerned about the size or quantity of gifts, but rather the attitude in which it was given. Everyone needed to give freely.  It was not a tax or something everyone must donate to, but a gift.  God wanted His people to give to Him a dwelling place out of the abundance of their hearts.  He didn’t want it from compulsion but for them to give freely from a heart of love.  And the children of Israel did respond with great generosity and enthusiasm.  In fact, later on in chapter 36, Moses had to tell the people to stop giving, because they had enough.
 
So how can we apply this story to our own lives?  What is something we can learn from this account?
 
The biggest lesson is that everyone has a role in the building of God’s house, and everyone’s part counts.  While most the Israelites were not the master craftsmen God specifically assigned to building the Tabernacle, each person had the opportunity to give to the project and see their contributions be used for the building of God’s house. Likewise, you might not be the master craftsman or the one gifted with this job or that job, but the thing that you can do counts.  Don’t let Satan tell you otherwise!  God sees you and your contributions, and welcomes your freewill offering, no matter how seemingly small.
 
Therefore, don’t let feelings of insignificance or obscurity keep you from contributing to God’s house and building God’s Kingdom.  Rather, remember this account in Exodus and the fact that everyone’s contribution was important and seen by God.  May we also remember the exhortation and promise God gives in Malachi 3:10, and may we not be afraid to give generously to the One who provides for us.
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Kristin Renfer

    View the About page for more info on the author.


    Receive Posts via Email

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required
    Where would you like to receive posts from?

    Archives

    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019


    Categories

    All
    Aaron
    Abraham
    Background
    Chapter 1
    Chapter 11
    Chapter 12
    Chapter 13
    Chapter 14
    Chapter 15
    Chapter 16
    Chapter 17
    Chapter 18
    Chapter 19
    Chapter 2
    Chapter 20
    Chapter 21
    Chapter 23
    Chapter 24
    Chapter 25
    Chapter 3
    Chapter 31
    Chapter 32
    Chapter 33
    Chapter 34
    Chapter 35
    Chapter 36
    Chapter 37
    Chapter 38
    Chapter 39
    Chapter 4
    Chapter 40
    Chapter 5
    Chapter 6
    Chapter 7
    Chapter 8
    Commands
    Conclusion
    Craftsmen
    Elders Of Israel
    Faith
    Glory
    God
    Golden Calf
    Intro
    Israelites
    Israelties
    Jethro
    Joshua
    Justice
    Leadership
    Magicians
    Midwives
    Moses
    Moses' Mother
    Overview
    Passover
    Pharaoh
    Plagues
    Promise
    Relationship
    Tabernacle
    The Law
    Trust


    RSS Feed

Home

Blog

Here I Am to Worship

Father to the Fatherless

​Who is God? Study

Bible Studies

Recommended Reads

Book Reviews

Girls Corner

Engaged to a
​Heavenly Bridegroom

All for Him Only

About

Contact

...not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  
​For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Copyright © 2016-2020 So I Fix My Eyes