Session 25

Why you should give God your best

From Exodus: A 34-Day Devotional

Have you ever tried to put together a dollhouse? The instructions go on for days. It’s hard enough to figure out what an A screw is, much less what it’s supposed to fit into.

The attention to detail in kids’ toys is nothing compared to the attention God paid to every detail in the tabernacle. The tabernacle was a revolutionary idea — a place where God would live among His people. God’s instructions were so specific they would make toy designers scratch their head. What was the reason for so much detail?

The items God told the Israelites to use to make the tabernacle — gold, silver, bronze, fine linen, spices, and gems — were not ordinary building materials. These were high quality, top of the line, valuable items. God asked Israel to give Him their best, and He promised to do the same in return (Exodus 25:8-9).

This emphasis on giving God our best wasn’t just for the Israelites. God wants us to worship Him with our best as well.

Giving our best is not about how much we give or how fancy our church is. Man focuses on the size of a gift, but God cares about the heart behind it (1 Samuel 16:7). When we give God our first and our best, not our leftovers, it shows that we trust Him and value Him above all else.

Reflect:

• What do you value most?
• Is there anything in your life that you would not be willing to give to God if He asked? If so, you just identified an idol in your life.
• What’s one step you can take this week to give God your best?