Artisans -> Skills -> and Exodus

Something caught my eye, as I was again reading in Exodus this week. When we get to the parts of the Mosaic books (Exodus and Leviticus) where God dictates stringent rules for daily living on His people, they can seem boring. But we know that God dictated these rules to the Israelites because they were His own special people, a people different from the other pagan peoples of the land, His own special treasure. These rules were to show how special, peculiar, and holy His people were to Him. It’s quite beautiful when you think about it because we too are His own special people. In Exodus 35: 30-35 it describes the artisans, who with their skills, helped construct the tabernacle of God. This is what caught my eye, verses 30, 31, 34, and 35- these words:

-“See the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri… (v. 30).”

-“He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship (v. 31).”

-“He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in Him (v.34).”

-“He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work (v.35).”

Firstly, it is God who gives us our skills. The skills and desires we have, He put them in our hearts and we are to use them to glorify Him. It’s no surprise to God that one wants to be a doctor, a musician, a journalist, a teacher- He put that skill and passion there so glorify Him.

Secondly, it is God who showers us with an anointing and fills us with His Spirit. And for some, He’s got large plans to use you for public ministry later in life. We cannot do anything to obtain His anointing- it is not in our own power. When He is ready, He will find His children, and use whomever He chooses for any plan no matter how big or small. Look at David, he was one of 8 children, but God chose Him- a small scrawny shepherd boy to be a king. But it was 20 years from the time that Samuel anointed David to be the next King of Israel until the time that He became came king. In those 20 years, God matured, wised-up, and prepared David to be king. So if God has a special anointing on your life, He will find. Stay in prayer and stay trusting Him.