Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded. And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it(Ex. 36:1-2).
God created mankind for a singular purpose. And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth (Gen. 1:26). And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it (Gen. 2:15). This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth My praise (Is. 43:21). We were created in His image to be His, to serve Him in His creation, and to worship, praise, and bring glory to His name. When we surrender ourselves fully to His will, placing all our trust and obedience in Him, we fulfill our purpose.
The concept that we belong to God and are His to do with as He pleases is difficult for many to accept. From a young age, society conditions us to value autonomy and personal freedom above all else. We are taught that our happiness is paramount and that living our best life means putting ourselves first. We are encouraged to reject boundaries of any kind—to believe that we can be, do, or experience anything we choose simply because we choose it. These beliefs are not limited to those who openly deny the existence of God. The message that God’s unconditional love is equivalent to nonjudgmental, unconditional support can be heard on any given Sunday from pulpits the world over. “Decide what you want out of life, and then God will help you get it” has become the battle cry of a new generation.
Despite what society would have us believe, true success will never be found in blazing our own trail; it comes only from following the path God has laid out for us. Those who look to Him with open hearts and prayerful attitudes will have no trouble recognizing the stirring in their hearts that signifies His guiding hand upon their lives. In each of us, God has put wisdom and understanding for the task He has set before us. As we embrace it and move forward in His will, our wisdom will increase and our understanding will deepen. The unquenchable thirst for success instilled in us by the world will fade away and be replaced by the peaceful assurance that we are precisely where we are supposed to be, doing exactly what we were created to do. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee (Is. 26:3).
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power (Eph. 1:17-19).
Thought for Today: Our place in the world will always feel uncertain; only in the presence of God will we find true belonging.
Christ Revealed: Through the Candlestick (Ex. 35:14). Christ is The Light of the world (John 1:6-9; 8:12; 9:5; compare Luke 1:78-79).
Word Studies: 35:10 wise hearted = craftsman with a heart for the Lord; 35:32 curious = skillful.
Pray For Staff:Judy McCrary • Government Officials: Rep. Jake Auchincloss (MA) • Country: Poland (38,346,279) Central Europe • Major Language: Polish • Religious Freedom • 89.8% Roman Catholic; 1.3% Eastern Orthodox; 0.3% Protestant; 0.3% Other; 8.3% Unspecified • Prayer Suggestion: Pray for those who have hurt you (Matt. 5:44).
Optional ReadingMark 1