Stir Up Your Gift

Exodus 31:3-7 -  And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze,  in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.  “And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

God finished up his 40 day conversation with Moses by telling him that he had filled 2 specific people with all the wisdom and skill they would need to lead all the artisans God would call to help them complete the Tabernacle God had given Moses the plans to build. It was an enormous task…God filling woodworkers … seamstresses … metal workers…engineers… artists of sculpture and overlay…artists of color and thread…. weavers… carpenters… skinners … perfumers…and all manner of labor…with the strength and wisdom they needed to complete each piece of the tabernacle according to the plans that God had made.

This was a calling to do something for someone else…to use what God had already placed inside them for the service of something greater than themselves.  It would bring them no credit or glory….but give glory to God alone…and provide for Him a place to live in their midst. They could take no shortcuts… use no artistic license… like I am prone to do many times.  They had to follow the exact blueprint and measurements that God gave to Moses for each piece that would make up the whole of the sanctuary God would live in.

I needed the reminder to …  “stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”….. as Timothy wrote in 2 Timothy 6-7.  Just as these people were given a supernatural dose of wisdom … understanding and knowledge….God has already done the same for me in some area. It is a reminder that I was made to serve him… period.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you made me for a purpose.  Forgive me for the times that I redesign your plan… intentionally or unintentionally.  Help me to learn to fan into flame the gift you have given me…so it can do the job you placed me here to do.  Amen.