Exodus 35:5, 10 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord,…and every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded.
Give Yourself, God Provides the Rest
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Exodus 35 is the account of God’s instructions to those who would help with the magnificent tabernacle that was to be built for the Lord God Jehovah. Those who were to build it were a rag-tag collection of people who had escaped from Egypt. These people contributed silver, gold, or skills to make it what God intended it to be. These were the same people that Pharaoh had used as slaves to build his treasure cities and, perhaps, even the pyramids.
In Egypt these slaves had learned their skills from the Egyptians, but in the building of the tabernacle these skills were given by God. In Exodus 31, God says of Bezaleel, “I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” These were skills that God Himself gave to these people in order to that they could serve Him.
What’s the difference between being a slave and being a servant? A slave is known by his lack of choice not by his lack of money. Here is someone who is serving God in some capacity who says, “Boy this is slave labor. We’re not getting any money for this.” No, a slave is known by his lack of choice, not by his lack of money. God provides for those who serve willingly.
There are two major elements in any great work for God: willingness and wisdom. In Exodus 35:5, God said, “Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD.” This willingness is a concept you find through the rest of this chapter.
In verse 10 we find the second element is wisdom. “And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded.” We know that this wisdom was skill in craftsmanship, construction, metal-smithing, and so on.
A slave has no choice. God doesn’t want you to serve Him because you have to. He wants you to serve Him because you want to. We owe it to Him. God gives the wisdom; we give the willingness. When you give self, God provides everything else. God is the One Who had provided these people the wherewithal and the resources. God simply wanted them to provide the willingness.
Don’t be a slave in the sense that you’re doing what you’re doing merely because you have to. Be a servant of the Most High God, realizing that the only thing that you can give Him that He did not give you first is gratitude.