S.O.A.P. for 02-13-2009

S: Exodus 36:6
So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings.

O: My observation is that the people were so completely and whole-heartedly in, that they gave and gave to the creation of the tabernacle. No selfishness was found here. No fear about how their resources would be replaced. No fear about just giving those resources up to their Holy Father!! They had enough! They were turning away offerings and gifts! That's just wheels-off crazy and a truly amazing glance into the Christians we are called to be!

A: My application is that I see that we fall short in our passion. WE give a little, but are afraid to give too much. Too much makes us uncomfortable, and that keeps us lifeless and dull, and without passion. How can we see God work, if we truly don't give EVERYTHING back to Him?? They gave and gave, and were excited to give more! They had a purpose for living, a purpose for using the resources they were blessed with. I find that looking around, our purpose is to figure out what we can buy to please ourselves with the resources HE has blessed us with. The car...is it good enough? new enough? shiny enough? The house... does it impress people with it's decorations? Is it large enough for people to say wow? The clothing...does it really make you feel better that it's more expensive? Hmmm.... self-analyzing hurts... what is our focus?

P: Abba, Father...
You are worthy of my praise, of my voice, of the work of my hands, of my heart! You are all-powerful, amazing, and my one True Father, and I thank You for the breath...I thank You for the life...I thank You for the many blessings, my children, my devoted spouse, Your son, my gifts that are always offered back up to only You, the list goes on and on... You find me worthy of blessing, and I find that absolutely amazing, because I am unworthy, as I do not see myself fulfilling that call quite yet. But God, I am with You, and I serve You, and I work every day to become better. I pray that I find that excitement in offering You more and more. I pray that in discovering my purpose, I can't wait to offer You more! You deserve it, Lord! After all, it wouldn't be in my care, unless You wanted it there, and knew there was something amazing I could do with it. Help me find the faith to surrender all, with joy, and with love, and with the excitement of seeing what will come of it when it goes to Your Glory and Yours alone!
In Your heavenly name I pray,
Amen