Year 1, Day 84: Exodus 35

Sabbath

Okay, we get to talk a little bit more about the Sabbath today.  So, let’s do this.  I’ve already posted a good deal about my opinions on the Sabbath already – opinions that it is important to have a Holy Day but it need not necessarily be a traditional Friday evening through Saturday evening Sabbath.

Today I think we should see the Sabbath regulation listed here in light of the preparation for actually following through and building the tabernacle as God designed it a few chapters ago.  I think a general lesson can be gleaned here.  If we want to build God’s kingdom, we must be spiritually prepared.  We must be spiritually rested before beginning such a project.  We work from rest rather than resting from work.

However, the Sabbath is not only about rest.  We must be in the habit of honoring God.  As God prepares them to make the tabernacle a reality, God starts with right practices of relationship between the people and God.

Contributions for the Tabernacle

As the word goes out for contributions for the tabernacle to be brought forward, I am struck by the emphasis on “as their heart was stirred.”  When the golden calf was built, Aaron gathered up gold earrings that the people were wearing.  There was no option; Aaron sent out an edict and the price was paid.

Notice the contrast as the tabernacle is built.  Essentially we have a free-will offering being asked.  God’s place of dwelling is built upon the generosity of the people, not some mandate.  The people are asked to give as the Spirit leads them.  See the difference between manmade worship and spiritual worship?  Manmade worship cajoles or guilts people into giving because it has no back-up plan.  Spiritual worship relies on the movement of the Holy Spirit to provide the means.

Cajoling Spirituality

How many times have you heard a sermon or read a book cajoling you to give more?  Or worse, how many times have you gotten an annoying chain letter cajoling you to send it onward?  In the day and age of Facebook, how often do we see a status that seems to imply if you don’t copy it and paste it as your own status that you are less of a person?  Those are all – every single one of them – signs of manmade efforts.

True spiritual efforts will rely on the movement of the Holy Spirit, not human assertiveness.  That’s one of the reasons why I intentionally don’t respond to chain letters and I seldom if ever do the status change on Facebook.  The Spirit will move me when I am to be moved, I don’t need peer-pressure. 

Now don’t get me wrong.  There is nothing wrong with some good old-fashioned talk about why something is important.  I don’t mind a person explaining to me why something is important to them.  Just don’t attempt to cajole me into being a part.  Don’t guilt me into human effort.  Then I will know it is coming from human origin not the Spirit.

Accomplishing the Will of the Lord

Okay, one more topic for the day.  Do you notice that everything the Lord needed to accomplish His will was already within the community?  All that it took for the Lord to accomplish His will was for people to understand the Lord’s will and to desire to do it.  They didn’t have to go out and buy any special tools or trinkets.  They didn’t need to go and find any special artisans. 

They had it all right where it was needed.  God inspired people to give.  He inspired craftsmen to create.  He inspired His will to be done.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying that it is wrong to go out and invite people in.  There is nothing wrong with expanding the community!  But to think that God can’t accomplish something with the people who are present is usually a fallacy.

If the people who are present are all on the same page as God, God can get it done.  If the people in any community of God truly go about putting God’s desires before their own then God’s will shall be done.  Why do so many churches stagnate?  It is likely because they are filled with people who aren’t really all that serious about being on the same page as God – and that goes double for the leader.

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