The Instruments in God's Hands
Exd 31:1-6 NLT - [1] The LORD also said to Moses, [2] "Look, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. [3] I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts. [4] He is able to create beautiful objects from gold, silver, and bronze. [5] He is skilled in cutting and setting gemstones and in carving wood. Yes, he is a master at every craft! [6] "And I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the naturally talented craftsmen so they can make all the things I have instructed you to make"
In Exodus 31 God explains to Moses how he will provide the resources to build the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant. It is here in Exodus that a major shift occurs. We begin to see God using people as instruments of His will, rather than the more frequent miracles he portrays in the first part of Exodus. Why is this? I believe it is a lesson to the Israelites, and consequently to us, that God not only uses plagues of nature, pillars of fire, and manna from heaven to achieve His goals. Most importantly, He uses us.
Notice that the Lord says that He has "chosen Bezalel son of Uri" because He has "filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts." God also explains to Moses that he has "appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant." God not only has a leader assigned to the position of building these places of worship, but he has an assistant and has "given special skill to all the naturally talented craftsmen so they can make all the things [He has instructed Moses] to make."
Beloved, God has a plan to use us, just as He used the artisans in Exodus. We often falsely believe Satan's like that God only uses missionaries and pastors, but Paul writes in Ephesians 4.11-13 that "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." We are each a cog in the infinitely complex and perpetual machine of God's divine plan. The machine won't run unless every piece operates. Sure, we might compensate while others slack. There are many Christians who are far overworked because they step in to fill void tasks left unfilled by those God is calling. But God is calling us! Just as He instructed Moses and the artisans, He is instructing us. We are the instruments in His hands. We are the love of God that the world sees. If we are not love, then they see God not at all.
It is vital that we recognize the gifts God has provided us, and regardless of whether or not we think them useful, we must use them to the glory of God. God equips us at just the right time for just the right purpose. He knows when that time will come. You must only listen to His voice and be the instrument in His hand. Amen.
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