#193 Free Will Tabernacle

The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. 3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; 4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[a]; acacia wood; 6 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. Exodus 25: 1-9 NIV

As I ponder this, I cannot help but look back upon my own clinched fists, tightly clutched around so many fading objects of my desire. What have I ever had that wasn't made, but the heart is deceitful and the mind that is made up always sees itself outside the fist. Moses is to put this out there to the people, but God loves a cheerful giver, and Moses is not directed to use force nor fear. I should hope that my heart receives that prompting, and with it the grace demonstrate my faith. God does not need my charity and His home is not a tent, but it is gracious that He would dwell amongst  His people.

For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,…2 Corinthians 5:1&2

Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1Corinthians 6:18-20

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7