Exodus 37:
15 The workers made the poles out of acacia wood. They covered
them with gold.
16 They made plates, dishes and bowls out of pure
gold for the table. They also made pure gold pitchers to pour out drink
offerings.
The Gold Lampstand
17 The workers made the lampstand out of pure gold.
They hammered out its base and stem. Its buds, blooms and cups branched out
from it.
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Twinkies was my purchase as I wanted to get change for the
next day. I had decided to limit how much I gave away to homeless people
downtown. Each encounter would only get a dollar, until I ran out of what I put
in that pocket that day.
Hard work and an extremely busy schedule caused me to forget
to get change the night before and as I reached in my pocket I had nothing for
this person and a ten in my wallet. I was on a tight budget and, if I remember
correctly, I still had a couple of days to go. GOD said “give him the ten.” “What?”
and go without lunch?
- Sometimes I make giving a habit.
- Sometimes I give out of surplus instead of giving all to GOD.
- Sometimes I hold back from giving because of fear of self-preservation.
Okay, call it selfishness! I mean I can’t miss a meal for a
day right? Wrong. GOD calls me to fast from time to time so I can miss a meal
here and there. So what does this have to do with the gold used by the
Israelites? They had no income and used what they had to build the Holy tent of
the LORD. They sacrificed.
- GOD wants me to not only give but sometimes sacrifice.
- GOD wants me to take giving seriously.
- GOD wants only a little of what HE already owns.
Sacrificial giving is rare for me. I give habitually and I
am blessed but sacrificial giving means I can’t have “that thing” right now, if
ever. GOD wants it all and this is not a problem, it’s a blessing!
- Are you holding onto your stuff?
- Are you afraid to let go of your stuff?
- Are you willing to give sacrificially once or twice in your life?
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