Enough and More Than Enough

Scripture:

 “Gather from among you an offering for God. Receive on God’s behalf what everyone is willing to give as an offering: gold, silver, bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet material; fine linen; goats’ hair; tanned rams’ skins; dolphin skins; acacia wood; lamp oil; spices for anointing oils and for fragrant incense; onyx stones and other stones for setting in the Ephod and the Breastpiece.  Exodus 35:5-9 (The Message)

Then they came back, every one whose heart was roused, whose spirit was freely responsive, bringing offerings to God for building the Tent of Meeting, furnishing it for worship and making the holy vestments.  Exodus 35:21 (The Message)

Every man and woman in Israel whose heart moved them freely to bring something for the work that God through Moses had commanded them to make, brought it, a voluntary offering for God.  Exodus 35:29 (The Message)

So Moses sent out orders through the camp: “Men! Women! No more offerings for the building of the Sanctuary!”  The people were ordered to stop bringing offerings! There was plenty of material for all the work to be done. Enough and more than enough.  Exodus 36:6-7 (The Message)

Observation:

In these portions of scripture, we are able to see what can happen when God’s people are given clear direction from God and have the motivation to be involved in building something for Him.  Some key statements that I see here are: Everyone willing to give, Whose heart was roused, Whose spirit was freely responsive, Whose heart moved them freely to bring something for the work.  We can see from these response, that when God sets something before His people to build, there is opportunity to give and to use the gifts He has given to each person.  And together they brought what they had and used their gifts to build.  And then Moses was able to say to people, ‘Enough and more than enough’.

Application:

Am I as a follower of Christ, willing to give?  Is my heart roused and my spirit freely responsive?  Am I one who is moved to freely bring something to build God’s work, God’s Kingdom today?  I would love to be involved in something for God where He would say to us, ‘Enough and more than enough’.

Prayer:                                  

Father, what exciting things You are willing to do if we will only have an open and freely giving spirit.  That is what I want in my life and for your church and kingdom.  I will give freely as You prompt me.  AMEN

Father, You are the one and only. Everything I hope for comes from you. You are solid rock under my feet; breathing room for my soul. Psalm 2:5-6