One Heck of an Offering
Scripture: Exodus 36:6-7
"So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: "Men and women, don't prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!" So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. 7 Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project."
Observations:
As the people of Israel began constructing the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the Bible says that "all whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord." (35:21). What's great about that is that the people of God were so motivated that Moses actually had to send an official memo ordering the people to stop giving! They had more than enough and yet the hearts of the people were so moved to give that they had to be stopped! Nobody forced them to give, they simply responded to the stirring of their hearts by God's Spirit. Another thought is that each person gave "as freely as they had received" (Matthew 10:8). God's people recognized that the only reason they owned anything was because God had caused the Egyptians to send them away with silver and gold. The materials they had been given to them which made giving back to the Lord a joy rather than an obligation.
Application:
Why is it that when we hear the word "giving" in church we tense up and start worrying about how much money we feel obligated to relinquish to God? Perhaps it's because we often forget where it all comes from to begin with. If it came to us from God, and God moves upon our heart to give it back, then we can find true joy in giving by recognizing that it never really belonged to us in the first place. And if every one of God's people truly viewed God as the source of their finances, as a church we would literally have more than enough resources to accomplish the work He has called us to do for His Kingdom!
Prayer:
Father, You are the source of life and all that is good. Thank you that you are our provider for every need and that all things in heaven and earth are in your hand to supply us with everything we need to accomplish your will. Stir our hearts today to give back to you what is rightfully yours so that your church and your Kingdom will be blessed with more than enough to complete your work in the earth today. Amen.
"So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: "Men and women, don't prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!" So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. 7 Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project."
Observations:
As the people of Israel began constructing the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the Bible says that "all whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord." (35:21). What's great about that is that the people of God were so motivated that Moses actually had to send an official memo ordering the people to stop giving! They had more than enough and yet the hearts of the people were so moved to give that they had to be stopped! Nobody forced them to give, they simply responded to the stirring of their hearts by God's Spirit. Another thought is that each person gave "as freely as they had received" (Matthew 10:8). God's people recognized that the only reason they owned anything was because God had caused the Egyptians to send them away with silver and gold. The materials they had been given to them which made giving back to the Lord a joy rather than an obligation.
Application:
Why is it that when we hear the word "giving" in church we tense up and start worrying about how much money we feel obligated to relinquish to God? Perhaps it's because we often forget where it all comes from to begin with. If it came to us from God, and God moves upon our heart to give it back, then we can find true joy in giving by recognizing that it never really belonged to us in the first place. And if every one of God's people truly viewed God as the source of their finances, as a church we would literally have more than enough resources to accomplish the work He has called us to do for His Kingdom!
Prayer:
Father, You are the source of life and all that is good. Thank you that you are our provider for every need and that all things in heaven and earth are in your hand to supply us with everything we need to accomplish your will. Stir our hearts today to give back to you what is rightfully yours so that your church and your Kingdom will be blessed with more than enough to complete your work in the earth today. Amen.
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