WHAT SHALL I RENDER?

SCRIPTURE

Exodus 25:1-22 (NRSV)
God in the ark and its mercy seat

The Lord said to Moses: Tell the Israelites to take for me an offering; from all whose hearts prompt them to give you shall receive the offering for me. This is the offering that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine linen, goats' hair, tanned rams' skins, fine leather, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and for the breastpiece. And have them make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them. In accordance with all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

They shall make an ark of acacia wood; it shall be two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside you shall overlay it, and you shall make a molding of gold upon it all around. You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side. You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, by which to carry the ark. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. You shall put into the ark the covenant that I shall give you.

Then you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its width. You shall make two cherubim of gold; you shall make them of hammered work, at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other; of one piece with the mercy seat you shall make the cherubim at its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings. They shall face one to another; the faces of the cherubim shall be turned toward the mercy seat. You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark; and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the covenant, I will deliver to you all my commands for the Israelites.

DEVOTION

Today’s scripture reading presents me with many interesting points to ponder. First of all, I notice that God asked for an offering from all those people whose hearts prompted them to give.

This sounds like a no brainer to me. Right?

Who would turn down the opportunity to give an offering to God? Who would turn their backs on the opportunity to help build God’s sanctuary? Who would withhold an offering from our loving and generous God who is the provider of everything that we have?

Who indeed?

Well, the sad truth is that many people miss out on the opportunity to bring an offering to God and help build God’s sanctuary and ministries! I was shocked when I learned that only approximately 6% of Christians actually tithe! To tithe means to observe the Biblical commandment to share 10% of your income with God and God’s Church.

My husband always laughs at me because when the offering is announced at my church I usually begin to clap and cheer loudly! I get excited about the opportunity to do anything that will advance God’s GOOD NEWS Kingdom of Love! I know that when I faithfully and joyfully give of my tithes and offerings God’s Word is preached, God’s Sanctuary is cared for, and God’s mission is carried out in my neighborhood, city, state, country, and world!

It is with my tithes and offerings that the hungry are fed, the thirsty get drink, the naked are clothed, the homeless are housed, the sick and imprisoned are visited, the widows and orphans are cared for, and the missionaries are sent out to share the GOOD NEWS that Jesus saves and He saves to the utmost!

WOW! Isn’t it thrilling that God allows us to take part in such amazing work?

Now we know that God doesn’t NEED our money. God has everything and everything belongs to God!

But, God welcomes us to become partners in the GOOD NEWS ministry; we get to use our time, talent, and treasure to love God and neighbor as ourselves!

In the case of the Israelites in today’s Bible passage, they were invited to build God a sanctuary replete with a mercy seat! I don’t know about you, but I get happy-glad just saying the word “mercy seat.”

Aren’t you glad that God chooses to “meet with us” from a place of mercy? Aren’t you glad that God loves us so much that God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life? Aren’t you glad that God extends to us unconditional love, amazing grace, and unmerited mercy?

Hallelujah! I am so glad that God meets me at the place of mercy! I am so thankful that when God peers into my heart, God sees my faith in Jesus, and extends to me grace and mercy!

In the days of Moses and the Israelites, God gave very, very specific directions and commandments regarding how to be in right relationship with God. Today, our directions are specific, but not complex.

God has made relationship and salvation very, very simple! John 3:16 reminds us that when we put all of our hope in Jesus, we are saved! Romans 10:9 declares that if we say and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, we are saved!

Isn’t this wonderful GOOD NEWS?! God has made salvation so simple. We must believe with all our hearts that God loves us so much that God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life!

I don’t know about you, but in response to such an extravagant gift (e.g., salvation and eternal life), I think it is incumbent upon us to be generous in our offerings to God and God’s kingdom building work!

Now let me be absolutely clear, my friends, we do not give to “pay God back,” for we could never repay God for what Jesus did on the cross!

We give because we love God, feel thankful about Jesus’ sacrifice, and feel a strong desire to partner with God in sharing love with the whole wide world!

Next time the offering plate is passed in church, think about the mercy seat! Then remember, no one is taking your money—God says, “let those whose hearts prompt them to give, bring me an offering…”

What does your heart say?

Loving and generous God, please forgive me for the times I have withheld an offering to you, when I should have given with a joyful heart! Please help me to remember that it is my honor and privilege to bring you an offering, help care for your sanctuary, and partner with you in the work of sharing love with those in need! I am so grateful that you meet me in the place of mercy. As I survey the cross of Jesus, I realize just how generous you have been to me! Thank you so very much…In Jesus’ Name, Amen.



ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to the people who have recently put all of their hope in Jesus! We celebrate your re-birth-day and promise to hold you in our prayers!

If you would like to put all of your hope in Jesus today, please visit my blog entitled, “Putting All Your Hope In Jesus” located at
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/putting-all-your-hope-in-jesus.html

If you have additional questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, "Come to Jesus"
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html

Pastor Yolanda is now publishing another blog entitled, “A Spoken WORD” in celebration of Holy Hip Hop, Gospel/Christian Rap and Spoken Word. Please check it out @ http://aspokenword.blogspot.com/

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Good News has now added a Prayer Ministry. http://www.kindlejoy.com/groups/goodnews

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From Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com