How Much is Too Much?

Recently, some friends and I had a very lively conversation. Apparently several pastors have come under scrutiny recently for asking their followers to buy very expensive jets. Is this necessary, we asked. Is this God, we debated.

This morning I was reading about the construction of the tabernacle. God gave Moses specific directions how to build it. If the tabernacle were built today, it would cost a whopping $38 billion dollars for the gold and silver alone. But think about this. The tabernacle was built by donations of the people. These were people who had just come out of slavery. Yet they had enough to give to for this extravagant tabernacle. They gave so much that Moses had to tell them to stop giving.

As I am struggling with God’s 38 billion dollar building plan, I also need to consider this. There was no sick or poverty, or lack among the givers. God provided all their needs so that the gold and silver were just shiny objects.

God has more than enough to provide $65 million dollars for a pastor’s jet AND to feed the poor. My job is not to judge one need over the other. My job is to partner with the Holy Spirit and give according to His prompting.

We serve a God who uses gold for pavement materials and pearls as landscaping. He is more than able to provide all of our heart’s desires. He is able to feed the poor, provide for the widows, purchase jets, provide for mission’s trips. He is more than enough! How is He calling you to partner with him today? How is He asking you to give? We give knowing He will give back to us, good measure, pressed down and shaken together.

“So Moses issued a command, and a proclamation was circulated throughout the camp, saying, “Let no man or woman any longer perform work for the contributions of the sanctuary.” Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more. For the material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭36:6-7‬ ‭NASB‬‬

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