3.118 And They Came

In Matthew 5, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth and the light of the world, reminding us that our lives are meant to preserve, illuminate, and point others to Him. This season on Savory Salt, we'll walk through the Old Testament, one verse and one thought each day. Perhaps these moments will add greater savor and brighter light to our lives as we seek to truly live as Savory Salt.

Hello, my friends. It's a new day with new opportunities. Choose ye this day whom you will serve.

Have you ever heard of the STP in terms of the Church before? We've never talked about it here on Savory Salt. It's time to have a CTA to the STP and do something about it.

If you're not following me, stick with me inside of this episode as we read from Exodus 35. In yesterday's episode, we had a call from Moses to those that were, you know, the children of Israel, right? He asks them, and he asks them, 'Whoever is willing of heart, let him bring it,' right?

And they're bringing their stuff for the tabernacle, and they're bringing all their nice stuff for that tabernacle: the gold, the brass, the silver, the scarlet stuff, right, like all the all the things, all the nice things for the tabernacle, which is basically a mobile temple for them. They want it to look nice. It is going to be a place where the Lord resides.

And so that's the call to action, or as I said earlier, the CTA from Moses. Now, what happens with the people here? Let's take a look at Exodus 35, verse 21. "And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing.

And they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments." Isn't that an awesome verse? They came! This was a direct answer to a call to action from the prophet, from the leader of the Church.

Moses has said, 'This is what the Lord wants.' And they came! Now, here's the interesting thing. And let's address the STP inside of the Church.

It's said sometimes with a bit of a wry smile on people's faces, "But have you ever heard that when the Church asks for volunteers, you get the STP in the ward: The Same 10 People?" Now, maybe you've heard that used in different ways. I know I've heard it in corporate settings as well. But my friends, this verse here gives us a checklist to perhaps extend outside the bounds of the STP when it comes to ward callings, when it comes to service opportunities, when it comes to our community, when it comes to our jobs, really, literally, when it comes to everyday performance in our lives.

Let's look at the checklist in verse 21 when it says, 'They came.' Who came? First of all, everyone whose heart stirred him up. My friends, when you listen to your leaders, when you listen to the prophet and apostles speak, and they ask us to do something, does your heart stir up?

I know sometimes mine has, and sometimes mine hasn't. That's an opportunity for me to look into my own heart. Next on the list here: everyone whom his spirit made willing.

Our willingness is such a fascinating thing! The Lord will never take it from us. We talked about that time and time again.

But I love the footnote inside of here: The term 'willing' switches to the word 'initiative.' Do you take initiative when it comes to your callings and opportunities? I know there are places where I take initiative, and there are places where I fall behind. So, this is not me preaching to you guys on what you should be doing better.

This is me processing out loud what I can do better as I grow in my opportunities to serve. And they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation. My friends, I hope that you and I answer the call of our living prophets and apostles today.

The call of our Church leaders, the invitations they give us—invitations from missionaries, leaders, whoever it may be—may our hearts stir within us, and may we be found willing to come and help. It's the second part of a three-part that I want to do in the front chapters here. So tomorrow we will continue with the third part of this puzzle piece that I have loved inside of Exodus 35, and tomorrow we'll sneak into Exodus 36.

But as for today, that is all for today, my friends. You and I have come here for such a time as this. Step forward in faith, and let's be Savory Salt. We will be here tomorrow, and we hope you are too.