Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought the offering for the LORD for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
Into the Text
The time had come for the tabernacle to be built, and it would be the result of a communal effort. God moved in the hearts of the Israelites to use their skills and giftings to provide the materials and work to build the tabernacle as He described to Moses.Â
Because the tabernacle would be the place in which the priests would make atonement for the sins of the people and meet with God, it had to be precise. God had given certain individuals special skillsets for things like embroidery, woodworking, metal fabrication, and design.Â
The tabernacle would not be a place reserved for the tribe of Levi. It would be a place that all Israel would have a hand in. It was the home for the Lord their God, so these offerings and work were an act of worship.
For believers today, we have the opportunity to also be bought into what God is doing. The Holy Spirit has given each believer a spiritual gift such as wisdom, faith, discernment, service, etc. (Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11). These gifts are given to build up the church and make Jesus Christ known throughout the world (Ephesians 4:11–16; 1 Peter 4:10–11).Â
By using our gifts, we help the church, the people of God, to thrive as we function as one cohesive body. In doing this, we show the world what Jesus is like. We allow the gospel to continue to go forward.Â
May we not miss the opportunity to be part of God’s mission and see our lives as a sacrifice of worship to our good and loving God.Â
Prayer
God, thank you for inviting me into your mission. I pray that I would use my gifts in service of you to see the gospel spread to the ends of the earth. Amen.