"No one is to appear before Me empty-handed." (Exodus 34:20b HCSB)
There is a direct connection between what is in our hand and what is in our heart. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:34 HCSB). A heart that overflows in love for God moves the hands to express that love in living out our seconds unto Him, giving of our substance to Him and striving in our service for Him.
It is Valentine's Day, as I type these words. This is a day devoted to lovers. While that is all well and good--a box of chocolate, a bouquet of flowers and a card are only potent when underpinned with a life that shows we love our spouse. My wife wants me to enjoy being with her, to do helpful things for her, and then to spend on her is important too--and not just one day a year! If I don't, then all the romantic notions printed on a Valentine's card are empty words, that come from an empty heart glaring from a billboard of daily life. That writing overshadows the other.
God wanted Israel to love Him. He certainly loved them. Their heart for Him would be seen in the sharing of their time, treasure and talent. When they came before God, there would always need to be something in their hand. There would be something for them to give because God had given to them.
The Lord gave them each day as a gift. Understanding this, they were to devote one day in seven for God and God alone. "For six days work is to be done, but on the seventh day you are to have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord." (Exodus 35:2a HCSB)
God wants us to be stewards of our TIME. Every second we have is a precious thing. We have a limited number of days allocated to us by the Lord's decree. We don't know how many, but even a long life span will race by. We are to exchange the currency of our time for eternal reward by devoting our days to God. How do you spell love? T-I-M-E!
The Lord not only blessed Israel with the dawn of each new day, but with the wealth which they owned. The gold and garments and gems--all this had been given to them by the Egyptians, through the intervention of God in liberating them. If their pockets were full, it was because God did it. Hearts full of gratitude fill hands with generosity. So, God's people were challenged, "Take up an offering among you for the Lord. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring this as the Lord's offering: gold, silver, and bronze" (Exodus 35:5 HCSB).
God wants us to be stewards of our TREASURE. God isn't broke, but we are bankrupt without Him. He doesn't need our money, but we need what He gives. Why we would not have a crust--not a crumb--of bread did not the Lord so graciously provide it! Even in these challenging economic times we are a privileged people.
Yet, we can't take it with us. There will be no U-Haul attached to the hearse. We can send it on ahead, however, by exchanging the coin of the material realm for the riches of the eternal. Jesus said, "Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 HCSB). How do you spell love? G-I-V-E!
The Lord blessed Israel with each sunrise, with their substance, but also the skills that they possessed--natural abilities they had worked into them by the Creator, spiritual capabilities wrought in them by the Spirit.
"Let all the skilled craftsmen among you come and make everything that the Lord has commanded... Moses then said to the Israelites: 'Look, the Lord has appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. He has filled him with God's Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every kind of artistic craft. He has also given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, [the ability] to teach [others]. He has filled them with skill to do all the work of a gem cutter; a designer; an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen; and a weaver. They can do every kind of craft and design artistic designs.' " (Exodus 35:10, 30-35 HCSB)
God wants us to be stewards of our TALENT. What can you do with your hands? Those hands--and the abilities latent in them--are blessed by God not to be clutched tightly and used only for our own self-centered cravings, but are to be opened and extended to serve the Lord by serving people created in His image. We can build something on earth akin to a sandcastle which the tides of time will wash away or we can do a work for Christ that constructs an eternal legacy.
Jesus told this story:
"For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one-to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. In the same way the man with two earned two more. But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money.
After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I've earned five more talents.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master's joy!'
Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I've earned two more talents.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master's joy!'
Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, 'Master, I know you. You're a difficult man, reaping where you haven't sown and gathering where you haven't scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.'
But his master replied to him, 'You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven't sown and gather where I haven't scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.
So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "(Matthew 25:14-30 HCSB)
The sobering thought is, that if all I crave are the things of the world and care nothing for eternity, that I may have a heart devoid of grace and will spend the endless ages craving what I can never have--a thirst without a drop of water on a gnawed tongue of anguish.
Do you truly love God? How do you spell love? W-O-R-K!
Don't show up before the Lord one day empty-handed.
No comments:
Post a Comment