Gifted by God
Exodus 35: Heās filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and know-how for making all sorts of things.
Dear old Bazalel, what a man of God he was. He could preach some of the finest sermons, was a true prophet of God. Uhā¦you say he wasnāt a preacher? Well, thenā¦what a singer and musician, so much talent. What? He couldnāt sing a lick? Well, if he was filled with the Spirit and a great blessing to the people of God, what did he do? You know the answer. This Spirit-filled man of God made things, working with his hands. He was the one God used in the construction of the Tent of Meeting and its furnishings. Why are we so spiritual about gifted teachers, preachers, singers, and musicians and so unspiritual when it comes to gifted craftsmen? Thank God for those piano players and singersā¦but when the plumbing is in need of repair give me a Spirit-filled plumber (not that there arenāt some singing plumbers out there). This is a good reminder to not only acknowledge the contributions of those who come to church work days, but to also recognize that their gifts and abilities are just as God given as are the pastorās. And, to remember that those gifts include, not only artists who can do uplifting works of art, but carpenters, air conditioning people, and plumbers who are gifted by God to do his work too. In fact, we could sometimes use a few less āup frontā folks and a few more āBazalelsā in the church!
Take Away: God gifts people in a wider variety of ways than we think.
Tag: Book of Exodus
Devotional on Exodus
Please, no more money
Exodus 36: The people were ordered to stop bringing offerings!
The Tent of Meeting is being constructed and it’s no simple circus big top! The best of everything is going into the mobile worship center and the people are bringing items needed for its construction. In their excitement they bring gold, silver, bronze, and fine fabrics. And they just keep on bringing these items. Finally, the craftsmen go to Moses with a problem. They have too much stuff! Mosesā solution is to tell them to stop. I canāt help but smile as I read this story because such an order is rare or maybe even non-existent in the Church today. However, there are a couple of things to consider. First, the goal of the Church is not to rake in all that it can. Bigger, more expensive, more impressive isnāt necessarily a worthy goal. Second, Godās people are wonderfully generous when they know God is behind something. In my years of ministry I have seen this many times. God is good ā and so are his people.
Take Away: Godās people are generous people.
Devotional on Exodus
Leadership bookends
Exodus 39: Moses saw that they had done all the work and done it exactly as God had commanded. Moses blessed them.
God gave the construction plans, Moses passed it on to Bazalel and company, and the people brought the materials. Everything from the frame of the Tent of Meeting to the Ark of the Covenant to the clothing of those who will serve has been crafted precisely to Godās design. Moses inspects the work and sees that it has been done well. Then he blesses them. Sometimes, the job of the leader is to point people in the right direction and then get out of the way while they do what they’re gifted to do. However, the leaderās job isnāt over at that point, in fact, that’s just one of a pair of āleadership bookends.ā The other bookend is found in Moses blessing the workers at the end of their task. Leaders are to lead in appreciation as well as vision. As a pastor, I often point people in the right direction, whether they’re singers or electricians. Both are doing things that are beyond my capability and I certainly canāt micromanage their efforts. However, once the job is done, it’s my job to be the ālead appreciatorā in the church. Every leader needs to be an expert in showing appreciation for the efforts of those we lead.
Take Away: A real leader knows how to lead in public appreciation of others.
Devotional on Exodus
Grace, grace
Exodus 40: ā¦the Glory of God filled The Dwelling. Moses couldnāt enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud was upon it, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling.
As Moses finishes the work God gave him to do, God moves in. Moses, through the God-given skills of the faithful workmen did what he could do. Moses led the project, the people funded it, and gifted men acted in obedience in preparing this place of worship. At this point they’ve done all that they can do, and the result is an impressive, lavish, and portable Worship Tent. Of course, that isnāt enough. Unless something else happens all they have is a fancy museum. Then God moves in. He fills the place with his glory ā with himself. Now they really have a place of worship. A couple of things come to mind here. First, we do all we can do but itās never enough until God moves. The best singing and preaching, the finest facility, the ābest laid plans of mice and menā fall short without God. Second, we see an example of prevenient grace here. God not only graciously moves in, doing the ādivine sideā of this effort, but it was God who gave Moses the plans in the first place and enabled the people to do the āhuman sideā of this project. It’s God who gifted the workmen. It’s even God who worked things out so that the Egyptians gave this nation of slaves the very items needed for the building of the Tent of Meeting before they ever left Egypt. Hereās a picture of God working on both sides of the issue. As always, in him we find grace, grace.
Take Away: We are recipients of grace all the way through.