In Exodus 35:4-9 the Israelites were commanded to sacrifice material things for the construction of a tabernacle. It is worded as a commandment to them but in that command are used the words "...whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring..." The Lord wanted them to willingly give of what they had for the construction of a tabernacle.

The Israelites response (found in Exodus 35:20-24) was immediate and many, if not all, brought what they had to offer and sacrificed it for the construction of the tabernacle. In fact they kept giving to the point that in Exodus 36:5-7 Moses commanded them to not bring anymore because they had more than enough to complete the tabernacle according to how the Lord commanded it to be built.

The Israelites had many faults for which we often remember them but in this thing they did very well in being willing to sacrifice what little things of wealth they were able to bring with them from Egypt into the wilderness not knowing how long it would take for them to replenish or replace such things if ever.

We live in a very different time and under circumstances very different from that of those Israelites from long ago. And yet we too are asked and/or commanded by the Lord to sacrifice for the benefit of others. I believe our willingness to give or sacrifice our material things, our money, our talents, and our time help define who we are. And how we feel as we sacrifice also indicates where our heart is on such matters. The Lord wants us to give willingly whether we are commanded to sacrifice or not. 

I would like to think I would willingly sacrifice anything that I was asked to sacrifice but the reality is I don't believe I am at that point yet and I struggle to learn how I can improve my heart and desires concerning such matters to align my willingness more to what the Lord what have it to be.

 I am currently studying the Old Testament of the Bible in a religious course I am taking at BYU-Idaho. This week our assigned study area is Genesis chapters 24-50.

In this post I will focus on Genesis 24:12-15,17-20. Here Abraham sent his servant on a long journey to where Abraham used to live to find a woman for a wife for Abraham's son Isaac. The servant has arrived and is standing beside a well. He offers a prayer to God asking for help in knowing who to pick.

In my life it is rare that my prayers get answered immediately and from what I have heard from others it seems like for them too, most prayers are not answered immediately. I have had a few that were answered immediately in such a way that I knew it was the answer.

In the case of this servant, the scriptures record that before he finished speaking he saw Rebekah coming down to the well. Her actions show him that she is the woman that is to be Isaac's wife. His prayer was answered almost immediately.

I know that our faith filled prayers are powerful and when it is God's will they are answered in the way we believed they would be answered. Our faith and our thoughts align with God's will in such a way that our prayer can be answered as we prayed it and in the time we hoped for. I was taught that before and/or after we pray we should do all we can and not simply utter our prayer and do nothing more and expect our prayer to be answered. Action is required.

The servant of Abraham did what needed to be done by travelling to where Abraham asked him to travel. Then even after he knew he had found the woman who would become Isaac's wife. He spoke with her family and told them how his prayer had been answered but also said he needed to know if they would let Rebekah go with her to be Isaac's wife. He didn't say they had to because of how his prayer was answered. All involved had their freedom to choose and they did. In verse 58 of Genesis Chapter 24 The mother and brother of Rebekah called her and asked her if she would go and she said she would.