Equipped to Serve
“…I have called by name Bezaleel…And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship…I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee; The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon,…” Exodus 31: 2-7
Some parts of the Bible seem so insignificant, to me anyway. How can certain verses, chapters, and even books of the Bible have any bearing on us today? Why does it seem so dry? Oh, how much I was missing before I learned to let the Holy Spirit teach me as the Bible promises He will (John 14:26). Take, for example, Exodus 31 which speaks of God telling Moses about a bunch of men chosen to build His tabernacle. The names are hard to pronounce, the details can seem so monotonous, and what’s important about how God gave them His Spirit, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and workmanship?
What’s important is this. God fully equipped them to do what He called them to do, the same way He equips us today to do what He has called us to do. The trouble we have can be three-fold: we don’t realize and accept what He’s called us to do, we try to do what He’s called us to do in our own strength rather than in His strength and with His equipping, or we use His equipping for our own selfish desires and end up pleasing the devil rather than submitting our gifts and talents to God as we commit to live to bring Him glory.
God didn’t just call them to build Him a tabernacle. He gave them everything they needed to do it, right down to His very Holy Spirit!
Have you sought the Lord about what He has called you to do for Him? Are you aware of how He has equipped you? Are you using His equipping to fulfill His will to bring Him glory?