There are no coincidences
They say, “The devil is in the details”. I would say obedience is in the details.
There were two themes that stuck with me this morning as I read Exodus chapters 25-27:
First, why does the Bible contain such detail about the size of the tabernacle, the materials used, the items to be given by the people, etc.?
I am sure there are great theologians who could explain the significance of each of the materials, and why it had to be those exact measurements. They would be correct in that knowledge. But, I think it misses the point.
God is telling Moses that there are many people in the tribe of Israel. Different talents and resources were assigned to each person. This was not by random chance.
God had reasons for providing the skills and resources each had. He wants everyone, including you, to know that you matter. You have something unique that God has given you, which He wants you to give back, of your own free will, to Him.
Everything has a purpose
I have done about every job a person could do without an advanced degree. I have never been a doctor or lawyer, etc. those require those degrees, but everything else a layperson could do, I have done, or at least within reason.
Before spending the last twenty-four years at my current employer, I had worked at over fifty other jobs, many concurrently. Working two or three jobs at a time was normal for me. If I am not working at something, I am asleep. My nature is to overbook myself.
I remember looking at my resume once, thinking that anyone reading it must think I am a complete flake, or that I must have gotten fired a lot. Truth be told, I excelled and advanced in my career, but I was always searching for new challenges.
Stability in God’s plan
When I gave my life to Jesus, He showed me where I should work, and I have been there for over two decades. As I have been working there, I have required the skills I learned from each of those previous occupations.
Instead of looking like a trash heap of instability, I realized God was making a finely crafted tapestry. All those pieces fit together.
That is what I was seeing in today’s verses.
God had gifted each person with specific skills and resources. He plans for all His children to be involved.
He specifies everything He will need so that no one can say, “sorry, I don’t have this”, or “I’m not capable of doing that”. There is something everyone can do or provide.
I still see many people who come to church every day and, as my pastor says, sit and sour. They don’t get involved and then later move to another church because they don’t feel needed or fed by the church.
More than financial
Ownership of our situations is a must for all of us.
“I possess skills and materials,” we should affirm, “and though I may be humble, God will use them if I present them to Him.”
Financial gifts are what we consider offerings. Churches have bills to pay and require those materials too. If God has gifted you with financial resources, then finding a church that you can help with those may be what He intends for you to do.
But, if you are scraping by, you still have so much more than money that you can give.
When you give, He will bless that offering.
We all have a purpose
The second train of thought I had was running on a parallel track.
When I read a chapter that has all this detail of materials, and measurements, etc. I read through it quickly. My mental track is saying, “OK, this is all just a bunch of details. I am not about to build a tabernacle, so I don’t need to pay attention”.
Wrong!
This is when we all must pay extra close attention, because God put all these details in the Bible for a reason.
He wanted the people working with Moses to follow those exact instructions to prove they could follow orders.
He also wants to see if you are listening to His words? It is in those details that I heard Him saying I have more to offer than those surface things I had planned to commit.
In truth, He needs nothing. He is God and the provider of everything.
The reason He involves us is that He wants each of us to realize He made us for a purpose and, with some exceptions, I believe few of us are living up to that task.
Tell yourself this: “God made me for a reason, therefore, I matter.”
Then ask for clarification, “What is that reason?”
How can you apply yourself more to the glory of God?
Life likes to keep us all so busy that we brush that off with the thought, “I don’t have the time.”
God is also the one who gives us time.
If we give our resources, God will give us more. If we give our time, God will give us more.
Are you ready to dig a little deeper and bless God because He has blessed you?
