Exodus 35:10-36:38; Matthew 27:32-66;
Psalm 34:1-10; Proverbs 9:7-8
My friend, Ann, is skilled with her hands. She not only cooks from
scratch and sews, but she is also a potter. She once made lunch for several
dozen women, threw a vase for each one on her potter’s wheel, filled each vase
with flowers and gave them as a favors. She can not only tile a kitchen
counter, she can even make the tile! She is like Bezalel and Oholiab in Exodus
35 and 36, “with skill and knowledge and ability in all kinds of crafts.” Just
as Bezalel and Oholiab used their skill to build the Tabernacle, so Ann uses
her skills to construct food, pottery and crocheted blankets to serve others.
The New Testament passage today stands in sharp contrast to the
Exodus reading. In the NT, we see de-struction, not con-struction.
Or at least that is how it appears. Everything Jesus had planned is falling
apart, or so it seems in Matthew 27. Jesus is crucified by the Jews and Romans,
forsaken by his disciples, and then, most horrible of all, he is forsaken by his
Father in his moment of greatest anguish. A few dear women, Mary Magdalena and
others (including the mother of Zebedee’s sons who had previously asked for
seats of honor in the Kingdom for her sons), watch at a distance as Jesus dies
alone. A horrible, disgraceful death. Even the robbers on the other crosses
tormented and despised Him. This is the saddest day in history.
But Psalm 34: 5 encourages us to hope: “Those who look to him are
radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”
The shame and horror of the cross is real; but it is not the end
of the story.
It is the beginning of the story.
Keep reading.
- Nell Sunukjian
How did God speak to you in Scripture today? Click here to share your reflections on God's word or read past posts. We'd love to hear from you.
I notice that those who contributed to this con-struction of the Tabernacle, and using their giftedness, were those whose "hearts were stirred & spirits were moved", "all whose hearts were willing", "those willingly brought their gifts", "those who gave as sacred gifts to the Lord", "they willingly used their skills", "every man & woman who was eager to help in the work of the Lord", and "they gave their gifts freely"!!! Then to top it off, The Lord gave Bezalel & Oholiab, who were master craftsmen, "the ability to teach their skills to others"! This causes me to remember that serving God & joining Him in His work, his con-struction, needs to grow out of a heart that is stirred by His spirit and willing to freely give of myself & the gifts & skills that He has blessed me with. When we, as His people, follow Him in this way, then it will be "more than enough"as Gen. 36:4-7 tells us.
ReplyDeleteI'm always struck at the overwhelming generosity that flows out of the people of God. They have been rescued and loved so completely that only extravagance and abundance can result. I love the willingness and joy of their giving and creating and serving!
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