Every time I read the Exodus story and shake my head at the misguided choices of the Israelites in the wilderness, I am quickly reminded of how much my own story mirrors theirs. They had been rescued, redeemed, and abundantly blessed, yet no matter how much God showed Himself to be faithful, they always slipped back into panic and doubt. Their story is full of life applications!
Give it all back to God.
The Israelites had been on their journey for a while and were in the middle of nowhere when the Lord told Moses to collect an offering:
“Tell the Israelites to take an offering for Me. You are to take My offering from everyone who is willing to give.” – Exodus 25:2 CSB
He proceeded to give Moses an impressive list of things He wanted them to give: gold, silver, bronze; yarn, fine linen, and goat hair; dyed ram skins and fine leather; acacia wood; oil and spices; gemstones. They had been wandering in the desert for months. Where would they get all these precious items?
Turn back a few pages and you will see the foresight of God. He had that figured out all along. When He was getting ready to set them free, He made sure they would not leave empty-handed. He gave them favor with their captors and on the way out, they took everything!
He didn’t allow them to plunder their captors just so they could parade their camels and flaunt their fortune. He made them rich and kept them that way so they could give it all back to Him when He asked for it. They were abundantly blessed so they could faithfully give.
But what if I need it later?
Considering the similarities between the Israelites and me, I wouldn’t be surprised if they hesitated and thought (like I often have), “But if I give it to God, it will be gone. What if I need it in the future?”
If they did, they had forgotten an important truth: God was the one who had provided it all to begin with. They would’ve made the journey with very little if God had not intervened. Why would they think He would abandon them after all He’d done so far? Why would they fear ending up with nothing if they gave back to God what He had provided in the first place?
Keep trusting god!
It was God who had provided everything the Israelites needed for their journey, and He does the same for us. The talents and opportunities that enable us to earn a living. The dreams and passions that drive us to accomplish things. The plants and animals we use for food. The very air we breathe. All of it comes from God. We are abundantly blessed so we can faithfully give.
Too often I have clung to my resources with clenched fists because I feared what tomorrow might bring. When God said “give,” I would look at my bank account to see how much I could spare. I wanted to give. I knew God expected me to give, but could I trust Him enough to do so consistently?
The more I learn to surrender everything to God, the more I can see His faithfulness! When resources are being stretched and I sense panic creeping in, I hear God asking, “Do you still trust me?” and I remind myself of this truth: When we faithfully feed into God’s Kingdom, He will faithfully provide everything we need.
