“God stirs us where we’re gifted.”
Exodus 35:21, 25-26, 35
(21) 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.
(25) And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.
(26) And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats’ hair.
(35) Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.
Explanation
The Lord had given Moses directions for building the Tabernacle, a tent-like structure for worship. Along with the main structure, God also told Moses about a variety of other needs for worship (an altar, garments for the priests and the high priest, etc.). Where would the materials come from? Who would construct these items?
God “stirred up” the people so that they were “willing” to donate the necessary items. Furthermore, God had already gifted certain citizens to fulfill these tasks. The willingness to give and the skillfulness to perform were both God’s doing!
Being willing means I’ve been stirred; being skilled means I’ve been gifted.
Photo by Dominik Scythe on Unsplash
Nathan M. McConnell 