Deployed for Kingdom Service
“And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept brining him freewill offerings every morning,” ESV Exodus 36:2-3
What a wonderful problem! That was my thought during an aha moment on the way to Birmingham Monday morning. I was listening to Max McLean read through the book of Exodus on my ipod when it hit me. Moses was forced to turn away volunteers and money that was presented for his building project. Well, it was God’s construction project, but Moses was his appointed leader.
Anyway, the scriptures tell us that the hearts of the people were stirred up to do work with their hands and to give money in a mighty way to support the building of a sanctuary. Their giving was such that they had to be restrained. The broader text says, “the people were restrained from bringing.” Try and imagine that today; pastors being forced to restrain people from giving to God’s work. I hang out with pastors a lot, but none of them has ever, and I mean never, so much as even whispered that this is an issue in the church today!
No, instead of being overzealous givers it seems as though we are much more comfortable and much more zealous in the task, as Neil Postman so succinctly said, of “amusing ourselves to death.” We are a people I fear who love to receive but have yet to experience the full joys of giving.
Al Mohler, in his weekly radio program on March, 27, talked about our concept retirement in America and how the current economic crisis has disrupted so many plans. But his main point was this: Regardless of our life stage, we should all be “deployed for maximum service to the Kingdom.” Now that’s an interesting thought—living each day for the glory of God—deployed for His service if you will.
Do you think that if we woke up each morning and asked God how we might use our time, talents and money to glorify Him that He just might show us? Does the thought scare you a little bit? Does it make you wonder what comfort or amusement you might have to forego? Might you have to alter your best laid plans?
Let me lay down this challenge. Tomorrow morning, before you roll out of bed and the urgent matters of the day come bearing down on you, ask God to show how to tackle your day as one “deployed for maximum service to the Kingdom.” God may stir your heart in a way that leaves you forever changed.
Ken Askew
What a wonderful problem! That was my thought during an aha moment on the way to Birmingham Monday morning. I was listening to Max McLean read through the book of Exodus on my ipod when it hit me. Moses was forced to turn away volunteers and money that was presented for his building project. Well, it was God’s construction project, but Moses was his appointed leader.
Anyway, the scriptures tell us that the hearts of the people were stirred up to do work with their hands and to give money in a mighty way to support the building of a sanctuary. Their giving was such that they had to be restrained. The broader text says, “the people were restrained from bringing.” Try and imagine that today; pastors being forced to restrain people from giving to God’s work. I hang out with pastors a lot, but none of them has ever, and I mean never, so much as even whispered that this is an issue in the church today!
No, instead of being overzealous givers it seems as though we are much more comfortable and much more zealous in the task, as Neil Postman so succinctly said, of “amusing ourselves to death.” We are a people I fear who love to receive but have yet to experience the full joys of giving.
Al Mohler, in his weekly radio program on March, 27, talked about our concept retirement in America and how the current economic crisis has disrupted so many plans. But his main point was this: Regardless of our life stage, we should all be “deployed for maximum service to the Kingdom.” Now that’s an interesting thought—living each day for the glory of God—deployed for His service if you will.
Do you think that if we woke up each morning and asked God how we might use our time, talents and money to glorify Him that He just might show us? Does the thought scare you a little bit? Does it make you wonder what comfort or amusement you might have to forego? Might you have to alter your best laid plans?
Let me lay down this challenge. Tomorrow morning, before you roll out of bed and the urgent matters of the day come bearing down on you, ask God to show how to tackle your day as one “deployed for maximum service to the Kingdom.” God may stir your heart in a way that leaves you forever changed.
Ken Askew
posted by TBC at
4/02/2009 10:44:00 PM
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