God's Will, God's Way

The children of Israel are in the midst of their wilderness wandering in Ex. 35 (That’s where I’m at today in reading through the Bible in a year. You can jump in any time. Here’s a link: http://www.bibleplan.org/ch/kjv/). It’s time to start building the tabernacle. Hmmm. Who should participate in that and how should Moses encourage the Israelites to participate? After all, he has been given some pretty specific instructions on how it should be done, and it’s going to take a lot of work and money.

Do you suppose that if this were happening in our day, there would be a sermon on how everyone better pitch in and do their fair share, and a capital campaign would be in the works to fund it, and everyone would feel shamed and guilted into participating? I know of no other way. How about you?

So I’m positively captivated by how this elaborately planned and designed tabernacle actually came about, starting in Ex. 35. My fascination centers on the word willing used in four verses. Here they are. Bask in them with me.

• Ex 35:5  Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,
• Ex 35:21-22  And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.
• Ex 35:29  The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

How refreshing! I see a lot of freedom in these verses. God stirred the people’s hearts without any harassing or brow-beating from Moses. And there was enough stirring going on that in chapter 36, Moses had to announce that the people could stop giving. There was more than enough to accomplish the task.

I would love to see this more in our day. Let Him stir. Then He gets the glory. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13)  Let’s give God room and credit for making His desire happen His way.

And that brings me to my verse for 2015. A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps. (Prov. 16:9) The account in Ex. 35 shows another angle of this verse. Sometimes God directs our steps by making His desires our desires. When that happens, we are delighted, and He is delighted. We are fulfilled, and He is glorified. It’s a rewarding, pure proposition. Read the bulleted verses above again and see if the honesty and simplicity of it doesn’t just make you want to praise God for how He works. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psa. 107:8)

Tell me what you think.

Jody