Exodus 35:21

Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.

Exodus 35:21

Earlier in Exodus, God laid out the blueprint for the construction of the tabernacle, the place for Israel to worship God. In this chapter, God focuses on the logistics of the project, and He commands that both the funding (Exodus 35:5) and the labor (Exodus 35:10) originate from amongst the people. God did not command Moses and the leaders to do the work, though they would have been involved. Instead, He commanded the people directly, giving them the privilege of participating in constructing the place where they could go to seek and worship God. And the people responded in abundance – they provided the means to build (Exodus 35:21-29) and the labor to build (Exodus 35:30-35).

This work model is still applicable to the church today. God’s desire is that we all participate in the labor of His kingdom. He wants us to joyfully give of our income (2 Corinthians 9:5,7), and He wants us to participate both in the labor of reaching the lost (John 4:35-36) and in ministering to each other (Ephesians 4:12).

If you are currently sitting on the sidelines, consider and pray what God would have you do. It is a privilege to give and to serve God, and it is His plan to use us in adding souls to the kingdom, and in serving Him He blesses us spiritually in return.

Your fellow servant,

Pastor Jeff Mericle