Praise and worship service
Exodus 15: Who compares with you in power?
When Moses tells the people to āstand stillā heās more right than wrong. While itās true that they need to āmove forwardā in response to what God is doing, itās still God who provides their deliverance. They donāt exactly āstand stillā but they never raise a hand in their own defense. Itās God who provides the victory. Now theyāre celebrating. Moses leads the way with his song of victory: āWho compares with you among gods, O God? Who compares with you in power, in holy majesty, in awesome praises, wonder-working God?ā Moses turns their hearts in the right direction. Even more than being about victory over the army of Egypt, this celebration is about God at work in their world. Obviously that victory is no small thing. Still, Godās incomparable, powerful, majestic, wondrous work is the real reason to celebrate, whether it has to do with Pharaohās army or not. After all, this is Godās story even more than theirs. In my life there are many good things to celebrate, but beyond all that is the Reason behind the good things. Iām glad to join Moses in this praise and worship service.
Take Away: Celebrate the good things but donāt forget to celebrate the Giver of those good things.
Category: Book of Exodus
Devotional on Exodus
Simple trust
Exodus 16: Who are we in all this? You havenāt been complaining to us ā youāve been complaining to God!
Itās been two and a half months since the Red Sea parted and they passed through on dry ground. Two and a half months since they saw their enemies drown in the sea and since they celebrated their liberation. Now theyāre out in the wilderness. Itās a difficult adjustment for the Israelites. No more comforts of home as they transition to becoming a nomadic culture. Change comes hard. As they long for the meat and bread they ate in Egypt God graciously responds through Moses and Aaron that he will provide for them. These leaders relay Godās message but they also include a word of warning concerning their complaining. This journey is not in their hands. Abraham has been dead for centuries, but they have yet to learn what he learned: the just shall live by faith. The problem with complaining is that it places us outside the life of faith. The God of the Red Sea is the God of the wilderness. Heās also the God of my everyday life. He expects me to place my faith in him in the days of miraculous victory and in the days of the wilderness as well.
Take Away: Complaining and faith are incompatible.
Devotional on Exodus
Stinking blessings
Exodus 16: It got wormy and smelled bad.
It doesnāt take long for the 600,000 people to go through their food supply. Now, theyāre out in the wilderness and wondering where their next meal will come from. One of the methods used by the Lord to meet this need is the introduction of a unique food source. It appears like the morning dew, tasting like bread and honey. Each morning the people literally āpick upā their breakfast. Thus begins what will be an ongoing provision of the Lord that will continue for four decades. Except for the Sabbath, each morning begins with their going out to receive this blessing of the Lord. Right off some people try to hoard this heavenly bread, but that turns out to be a bad idea as day old manna gets wormy and stinks. This blessing from the Lord canāt be stored up. Instead, it has to be received anew each day. Centuries later Jesus will teach his followers to ask their Father for their ādaily bread.ā This reminds us that, even as it was for the Israelites, the Lord provides but that each day requires a renewed trust from us. Iām not against hearing folks share precious memories from days gone by, but as I watch these Israelites collecting their manna, Iām reminded that if yesterdayās blessingās all Iāve got, well, I havenāt got much.
Take Away: Godās blessings are made new in our lives every day.
Devotional on Exodus
Having a small role in a big deal
Exodus 17: But Mosesā hands got tired.
The first of what will be a seeming unending number of battles is taking place. Their background as slaves affords these Israelites little preparation of combat. King Amalek, on the other hand, is a fighter with a trained and disciplined army. He sees the Israelites as easy prey and attacks them. The thing he doesnāt know is that Israel is under the protection of God Almighty. Godās man, Moses, climbs to a high point and raises that famous staff to the Lord. When he does, itās almost as though Godās power flows from heaven, through that staff, into Moses, and then out to those defending the nation. These slaves fight like soldiers. However, Mosesā arms grow weary and he lowers the staff. When he does, the tide of the battle turns and Amalekās forces begin to gain the advantage. Two men, Aaron and Hur, come to the rescue. They provide Moses a place to sit and then they hold up his arms and staff. Victory is theirs. As I read this story I see that God’s teaching them that (in the words of Jesus) āApart from me you can do nothing.ā Their victory on this day is clearly linked to Moses, the staff, and the action of Aaron and Hur. Itās a great victory, the first of many, but thereās no way they can take credit for it. Also, I canāt help but comment on the support of Aaron and Hur. Neither is Godās man for this moment. Clearly, thatās Moses. However, they become literal āsupportersā of Godās man, lifting him when he canāt go on. Generally speaking, thatās our role in life too. We lend our support to those God is using in unique ways. In so doing, we play a small role in the big deal of Godās work in this world.
Take Away: Itās nice to have a part to play, even when itās mainly just supportive of others.
Devotional on Exodus
Having a Moses Complex
Exodus 18: This is no way to go about it. Youāll burn outā¦you canāt do this alone.
Moses is overwhelmed by his responsibilities yet he presses on. From morning to night he deals with the issues of leadership as this nation of former slaves struggles with issues of personal responsibility. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, visits and sees whatās happening. Moses needs to get organized by surrounding himself with capable assistants. That will be best for him, for the people of God, and even for the leaders he enlists. To do otherwise is to invite disaster because Moses does have a job to do and if he burns himself out trying to do everything he’ll end up doing nothing. Moses accepts the word of wisdom from Jethro and surrounds himself with competent, God-fearing, loyal people. I think we pastors sometimes have a āMoses complex.ā It isnāt entirely our fault. The āhigher-upsā are very pastor focused and our lay people will cheer us right into the grave as we try to do it all. Weāre wise to spend some time listening to old Jethro and begin handing some things off to good people who are likely more gifted in specific areas than we are anyway. That will free them up to do what God gifted them to do and it will also let us focus our energy doing what weāre called to do in the first place.
Take Away: Leadership doesnāt mean doing everything.
Devotional on Exodus
What an offer
Exodus 19: Everything God says, we will do.
The miracle at the Red Sea has provided a deliverance that will be remembered forever. However, what’s about to happen is intended to form these newly freed slaves into a people of God. Theyāre camped at the foot of Sinai and the Lord is stating his plan for them. If theyāll listen obediently to his words theyāll be a unique people on the face of the earth: a kingdom of priests who enjoy the blessings of the Almighty. The elders of Israel immediately respond that āeverything God says, we will do.ā I know that Iām standing at the beginning of what will be a long, failure-filled journey. They wonāt even break camp at Sinai before thereās a massive spiritual failure. Still, if I stop looking ahead and simply consider this exchange, Iām impressed by what I see. First, The Lord’s making the wonderful, amazing promise of connecting their lives to his. They donāt deserve it but in an amazing act of grace the offer is made. Second, they say āyes.ā Again, I know that many failures are coming, but in this time and place, when God offers them this unlikely partnership, they respond with just the right answer. In spite of the fact that I know things arenāt going to always work out as they should I also remember here that had they said, āNoā the story would end here and now. In saying āyesā to God they open the door to an unprecedented relationship with him. To some extent, all human beings receive this same offer from the Lord. We can respond that weāre not worthy or that itās too hard or that weāre likely to fail. Know what? He already knows all that. Still, the offer is there. When the Lord calls my name, I can respond no better than these ancient Israelites did: āEverything God says, we will do.ā
Take Away: I canāt do better than saying the ābig yesā to the Lord.
Devotional on Exodus
The frightening side of God
Exodus 19: Warning! Donāt climb the mountain.
Of all the appearances of God on earth in the Bible the coming of the Almighty to Mount Sinai is the most impressive. Earlier, the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush. Now he appears to Israel in a burning mountain. There are thick clouds, thunder, earthquakes, and the sound of trumpet blasts. The people are warned to keep their distance or die. As I read this event I find myself wondering why God came in such a dramatic way. Centuries earlier, he came to the first man and woman for a quiet conversation in the cool of the day. Later on he wrestled with Jacob through the night. However, here at Sinai the appearance of the Lord is the most dramatic event to have ever happened on the face of the earth. I think the Lordās making the point that he’s not a God to be trifled with. If heās to make Israel into his own people they must grasp something of his holiness. They need to see him as more than a God who gives them free food each morning and who helps them win battles. Instead, they need to see the awful power of his holiness. This is a God to serve, to reverence, and to obey. Before Moses ever begins his unforgettable encounter with the Divine there are lessons to be learned. We Christians focus on an entirely different view of God. We see him as a meek Carpenter who loves us even to a cross. That, of course, is a correct view of the Lord. However, thereās more to him than that. Each of us must spend some reverent and fearful time at Sinai if weāre to begin understanding who God is.
Take Away: Mt. Sinai is a good place to take some āreverence lessons.ā
Devotional on Exodus
The Ten Commandments
Exodus 20: I am God, your God.
And so it begins. This God who spoke to Moses through the burning bush, this God who brought the plagues to Egypt in securing their freedom, this God who delivered them at the Red Sea now describes how theyāre to live. He didnāt bring them up out of Egypt so they could do their own thing, living as they pleased. The Lord God brought them out of slavery to be his own people. Their relationship to their God is going to be very different than the Egyptians relationship with their gods. The very first thing their Redeemer does is state Ten Commandments to them. These Commandments are just as focused on how a man treats his neighbor as how a man relates to his God. In this new relationship with the Almighty theyāll treat the Lord with absolute reverence, but theyāll also treat one another with respect, honesty, and fairness. One doesnāt have to be Jewish or Christian to recognize the brilliance of the Ten Commandments. In just a few words the foundation is laid for a God-fearing and just society. To this day thereās no finer expression of how society can function at its best. This gift from God to his people is every bit as impressive as was his parting the Red Sea for them.
Take Away: We can find no better set of rules for living than what we find in the Ten Commandments.
Devotional on Exodus
Living as one of Godās people
Exodus 22: Donāt be stingy as your wine vats fill up. Dedicate your firstborn sons to me.
If anyone thinks the Law given at Mount Sinai is all about the Ten Commandments or at least is filled with regulations concerning their religion they need to spend some time in the second half of the Book of Exodus. The regulations stated here are a mulligan stew of civil, personal, and religious rules and regulations. The Lordās just as interested in telling them how to settle a property dispute as he is in telling them how to conduct a worship service. For instance, he tells them that as they prosper in the land he’s giving them that theyāre to live generous lives. Then, in the very next sentence he tells them that theyāre to dedicate their firstborn sons to him. For these people, thereās to be no difference between their āreligiousā lives and their āsecularā lives. Instead, theyāre to live their āwhole livesā under the authority of God. Refraining from eating the meat of some dead animal they find in the field and making sacrifices only to the Lord God are both filed under the heading of ābe holy.ā A lesson for me in all this is that my life as a whole is to be lived under the authority of the Lord. Iām to live a generous, honest, compassionate life. Not only am I to dedicate my children to the Lord, but, as my āwine vats fill upā Iām to be a generous person, sharing the blessing the Lord has given me. The two, secular and religious, are really just one, living as one of Godās people.
Take Away: My entire life is to be lived as a person of God.
Devotional on Exodus
God will go before you
Exodus 23: I wonāt get rid of them all at once lest the land grow up in weeds and the wild animals take over.
The Lord promises his people that heāll not only be with them but will also go before them. Before they ever arrive in Canaan the Lord will already be at work there, preparing the way for them. The inhabitants of that land will be visited by āTerrorā and āDespair.ā Just the thought of the coming Israelites will cause them to withdraw, yielding the land to them without a fight. However, the Lord also tells them that the withdrawal of these heathen people wonāt happen all at once. If all human beings desert the land then the weeds and wild animals will take over and Canaan land wonāt be as wonderful as the Lord wants it to be for his people. While I know it didnāt work out, I canāt help but imagine a very different picture from both the books of Joshua and Judges. As I consider this passage I find myself thinking of Godās work in my life. As one of Godās people I have some precious promises. Heās with me and heāll make a way even when there is no way. However, that doesnāt mean all the battles are already won. Like the people of Israel, Iām to trust in the Lord and to move forward, believing that, by his grace, I can face whatever obstacles might arise. It would be nice if all the signal lights in my life were permanently on green even as I sit in the driveway, but it doesnāt work that way. I have to move out in trust and allow the Lord to help me through the rough areas one step at a time.
Take Away: Godās work in my life is that of unfolding grace, him making the way for me, one day at a time.
Devotional on Exodus
Covenants
Exodus 24: Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it as the people listened. They said, āEverything God said, weāll do. Yes, weāll obey.ā
Things are coming together for this nation of ex-slaves. Theyāve been delivered from the bondage of Egypt, are receiving constant guidance from the Lord who is also providing their needs. Now the rules for living have been laid out. Soon, God, Himself, will write out the basics on tablets of stone. To their credit, the people are ready. They pledge themselves to obedience. Now, you and I know that this isnāt going to work out. Godās faithfulness to them will be contrasted by their failure to keep the Covenant. Still, God isnāt setting them up to fail. In this Covenant we see all the potential for success. Their failure in breaking the Covenant is what stops the plan from being a success. Hundreds of years later God will initiate another plan. You know it: āFor God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonā¦.ā Once again, and in an even more complete way, everything’s in place for success. And, once again Godās part is perfect. In fact, he’s even gone so far as to provide us the grace to make the same commitment they made. Now, Heaven awaits our response to the New Covenant.
Take Away: We have every reason in the world to live victorious, godly lives.
Devotional on Exodus
May I please have all your silver and gold?
Exodus 25: Use a seventy-five-pound brick of pure gold to make the Lampstand and its accessories.
In addition to giving Moses the Ten Commandments during their meeting on Mount Sinai the Lord gives him the plans for the design for and the furnishings of the Tabernacle. This structure is to be a portable worship center. However, its portable status doesnāt mean corners will be cut. This will be the most amazing portable structure ever built and the materials used in construction will be first rate. Even the Lampstand is to reflect this: ornate, hammered out of pure gold, and alive with symbolism. Now how are ex-slaves to come up with āa seventy-five-pound brick of pure gold?ā Actually, that problem was taken care of a few months earlier, just prior to the Passover. The Lord instructed the Israelites to go to the Egyptians and simply ask for their valuables! Without understanding why, the Egyptians said, āSure, hereās all my silver and gold!ā In that way, the Israelites left Egypt carrying with them tons of silver and gold. Now, we see the rest of that story. That silver and gold isnāt to be horded by individuals. Really, it was never theirs in the first place. Instead, itās to be used in this one-of-a-kind construction project. So, what is it that the Lord has put in my hands that was never meant to be kept in the first place? How does he intend for me to use it? In this incident from Exodus I find a practical lesson in stewardship.
Take Away: As a person just passing through this world, nothing is every permanently mine.
Devotional on Exodus
The Urim and Thummim
Exodus 28: Place the Urim and Thummim in the Breastpiece of Judgment.
One of the mysteries of the Bible surrounds the Urim (ālightā) and the Thummim (ātruth,ā or āperfectionā). When theyāre mentioned by the writers of the Bible those writers assume everyone knows all about them, so thereās no description or explanation of how they were used. Some think they were a sort of dice used to ascertain the will of the Lord ā kind of like casting lots. Others believe that the Lord used them by causing some combination of precious stones on them to glow, indicating āyesā or ānoā ā a sort of red light/green light approach. Apparently, the High Priest was not only the keeper of the Urim and the Thummim but also the only one who was authorized to use them in seeking the will of the Lord. I think I lean toward the red light/green light understanding of the Urim and the Thummim. After all, even as these are being used thereās a Pillar of Fire and Cloud overhead and manna appearing every morning. Having glowing stones of some sort to give direction is certainly in keeping with all the other miracles theyāre experiencing daily. I canāt help but think that having a Urim and Thummim would sure be handy today. Once, when I was barely out of my teens I tried using my Bible that way. I had a decision to make and tried praying about it, and then flipping my Bible open to read the first verse I saw. I kind of got an answer, but looking back, I think I saw what I really wanted to see in the first place. These days I better understand that God calls me to a life of faith and trust. Heās a communicating God and when he has something to say to me I wonāt need glowing stones or a random verse from the Bible to know what heās saying. Still, I admit that if I had a Urim and Thummim in my pocket that Iād be tempted to use them once in a while!
Take Away: The Lord is well capable of communicating his will to me if Iāll patiently listen.
Devotional on Exodus
Itās a local call
Exodus 29: Iāll move in and live with the Israelites. Iāll be their God. Theyāll realize that I am their Godā¦.
Moses, their leader, is on the mountaintop, both physically and spiritually, in conference with God Almighty whoās giving him all kinds of instructions. The Lord intends to make the people of Israel a unique nation on the face of the earth. Right now the Lord is in the process of setting everything in motion. In the midst of the detailed plans for the Tabernacle and itās furnishings I hear an earth shaking promise from God. He says, āIāll move in and liveā¦Iāll be their Godā¦theyāll realize thatā¦.ā This concept is both humbling and thrilling. The Lord isnāt going to sit up on Mount Sinai, distant and unapproachable. Instead, heās moving in with them. Some years ago a joke was going around about churches having a āgolden telephoneā providing direct access to the Lord. The punch line depended on where the joke teller lived. Of course, for me, Texas was the featured state. Using the golden telephone in Texas is much cheaper because calling heaven is local call from Texas. In this passage in Exodus we find that the Lord intends that it be a ālocal callā when his people call his name. Heās moving in and has no desire to be beyond our reach. Itās humbling to think that God Almighty would take such interest in mere human beings. However, itās also thrilling to consider that he wants to move into my neighborhood and be an active participant in my everyday life. For Moses, this is all about the Tabernacle and worship there. For me it is all about Jesus coming and then sending his Holy Spirit to āmove in and liveā in my heart. āOh Lord, come on in, youāre welcome here.ā
Take Away: The Lord is as near as my next thought directed to him.
Devotional on Exodus
Sons and daughters of Bezael and Oholiab
Exodus 31: Iāve personally chosen Bezael son of Uri…Iāve filled him with the Spirit of God.
Here we are at the familiar commissioning of Bezael and his assistant Oholiab. We know all about them, right? Iām kidding, these two men are lost deep in the pages of our Old Testaments and only the finest of Sunday School scholars knows who they are. Really, thatās too bad because today pastors of small and medium sized churches owe a lot to modern day Bazaelās and Oholiabās. You see, Moses is receiving lots of complicated construction projects from the Lord, but, as far as I can tell, thereās not a blueprint in sight. The Lord tells Moses to just take note of what heās being told but not to worry about the actual construction because there are two men down at the foot of the mountain that have been filled with the Spirit. The result of that filling is not that they’ll be preachers or prophets or singers. They are Spirit-filled craftsmen. All Moses has to do is give them the instructions heās receiving from the Lord and theyāll take it from there. I firmly believe that the Spirit still empowers craftsmen (and women) for the hands-on needs of the church. For instance, when we have a church dinner, Iāve learned to stay out of the way as several women in the congregation are gifted at planning and executing church dinners. A while back someone came up with the idea of removing all the concrete sidewalks of our church building and replacing them with beautiful paving bricks. You can take all I know about stuff like that and put it in a thimble but they took that project on. I helped where I could, mainly as a ābrick carrier.ā Both men and women went to work on that big project and it came as no surprise to me that some of those folks knew how to do it. They handled everything from preparing the ground to knowing how to create a pleasing pattern in the bricks. In the church we tend to lift great speakers and singers but, I fear, fail to recognize the Spirit powered hands-on people. Thank God for sons and daughters of Bezael and Oholiab.
Take Away: There are many gifts for service, all of value to God and his people.
Devotional on Exodus
A lesson on leadership
Exodus 32: Moses said to Aaron, āWhat on Earth did these people ever do to you that you involved them in this huge sin?ā Aaron said, āMaster, donāt be angry. You know this people and how set on evil they are.ā
Aaron is left in charge while Moses is up on the mountain meeting with God. Just as the Lord said, thereās an idol-centered orgy going on. Moses demands an explanation from his brother who responds that these people are just bad people and thereās nothing he can do. Aaron is supposed to be the leader here, but heās a spectacular failure. Leaders must have vision and be skilled in organizing and persuading people to work toward the fulfillment of that vision. Aaronās view of leadership is to help the people do what they want to do already. His excuse to Moses is, āthatās just how these people are.ā His error is huge and because of it he fails his people, Moses, and God. Genuine leaders donāt wring their hands as people do the wrong thing. Neither is it testing the political winds and āleadingā the people to do what they already want to do, right or wrong. In fact, leadership can be lonely and occasionally it is practically suicidal. Aaron should have stood for Godās way even if it meant that the people just ran over him to do what they wanted in the first place. Moses understands leadership. He takes a position away from the goings on and calls for those who are on Godās side to join him. Heās going to make things right no matter what the cost. Thatās leadership.
Take Away: Leadership is more than helping people do what they would do anyway.
Devotional on Exodus
Walking with the Lord
Exodus 33: If your presence doesnāt take the lead here, call this trip off right now.
Following the golden calf incident the Lord tells Moses heās going to change his relationship with the Israelites. Instead of being personally present, guiding them to the Promised Land, the Lord is going to assign that job to an angel. These Israelites, the Lord says, are a hard-headed people and they might just push too hard against God and be destroyed because of it. In response, Moses has another meeting with the Lord as the Pillar of Cloud descends on the Tabernacle. As Abraham interceded for the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah centuries earlier, Moses begins to deal with the Almighty. He reminds the Lord that it was the Lord, himself, who called him from tending sheep to lead these people. He doesnāt want to settle for an angel. Instead, he wants the presence of the Lord, himself, on his life and on the lives of the Israelites. In desperate insistence, Moses declares, āIf your presence doesnāt take the lead here, call this trip off right now….are you traveling with us or not?ā In the face of this intercession the Lord relents. It wonāt be an angel who travels with the Israelites; it will be the Lord, himself. I have some theological issues with this whole exchange. After all, isnāt the Lord everywhere, all the time? Still, Iām drawn to this exchange between Moses and the Lord. As wonderful as an angelic visitation might be, it doesnāt hold a candle to the very presence of the Lord in my life. As Moses indicates, he doesnāt want to take a single step without the Lord. As I rise in the morning and enter into my day I want to do so in the spirit of Moses: I donāt want to say a word, to do a deed, to walk a step without the Lord in my life.
Take Away: I want to live in constant fellowship with the Lord, every step of the way.
Devotional on Exodus
Worship Lessons
Exodus 34: God, God a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient ā so much love, so deeply true ā loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
Sinai II is taking place. During Sinai I, while the people rebelled Moses was on the mountain having an awesome encounter with God. Seeing that the people rebelled against God and his ways before they could even get started Moses broke the tablets containing the Law. However, Moses still intercedes for them and God graciously gives them another chance. In fact, God is willing to reveal himself to Moses in even a more personal way than he did out in the desert in the burning bush or when he came to Sinai the first time. Itās during this indescribable encounter that the words that arrest our attention today are stated. Old Moses can hardly contain himself as he proclaims Godās mercy, grace, and patience. Nope! This isnāt Moses speaking. Instead, itās God! So whatās going on here? I think I know. As the Almighty begins to create a people and works specifically with the man heās chosen to lead them, heās giving Moses a lesson in worship. And Moses gets it! He falls on his face before God. Maybe I need some worship lessons too. Iām glad the Lord is a willing Teacher.
Take Away: Thank God for Second Chances and thank him also for being such a patient teacher.
Devotional on Exodus
Shining Faces
Exodus 34: He didnāt know that the skin of his face glowed because he had been speaking with God.
Coming into the physical presence of God impacts Moses in a physical way. His face glows. I havenāt a clue as to how this works, but, apparently, itās intentional on Godās part. Even though I canāt explain the āhowā I think I may know the āwhyā of the shining face. When Moses comes down from the mountain the previous time, he finds that the people have cast off their faith. This time, God wants there to be something about Moses that grabs their attention; something that these who are at the kindergarten level of understanding God can grasp. Therefore, Mosesā face reflects the transcendent holiness of God. Even thatās a bit too much for them, so they ask that Moses wear a veil as he reports what God is saying to him on the mountain. Of course, preachers like me have been drawing from this story to remind people to ālet their face show itā across the years and I do think God intends this. Godās people should have a ālookā of inner peace, joy, hope, and, yes, holiness. Like Moses, we spend time in the presence of the Almighty and everything about us reflects that.
Take Away: āIf youāre happy and you know it then your face will surely show it.ā ā Childrenās Sunday School song
Devotional on Exodus
The power of enthusiasm
Exodus 35: Then they came back, every one whose heart was roused, whose spirit was freely responsive, bringing offerings to God for building the Tent of Meeting.
God gave Moses the plans for the Tabernacle and now Moses has passed them on to the people. A one-of-a-kind of worship center will be constructed. It will be portable but in spite of its portability it will be an elaborate structure, a place reflective of the God they worship. When Moses tells them what God requires it sparks excitement throughout the congregation. Now, without any pressure, the people freely give so that the Tent of Meeting can be constructed according to Godās plans. As I look at the people coming with their gifts, my attention is drawn to those āroused hearts.ā Enthusiasm is a powerful emotion. As it does for them, it stirs me to action and makes me willing to make sacrifices. I want to have a āheart that is rousedā when it comes to my relationship with God and his Church. There are many things that demand my attention and my support. Those things may or may not be worthy. However, doing Godās work is always worth the effort. Stir my heart, O God, that I might be ārousedā to enthusiastic, sacrificial service of you.
Take Away: I serve the Lord, not because I must, but because I may.