God who stirs hearts and equips hands,
You appoint Bezalel, Oholiab,
and every craftsman filled with skill and wisdom,
to carry out the work of building Your sanctuary.
They receive from Moses the offerings of the people
so much that the workers must pause their labor
to tell him,
“The people bring more than enough.”
And Moses commands the camp to stop giving.
The abundance is not because of wealth,
but because of willing hearts.
Then the work begins in earnest.
They weave ten curtains of fine linen,
blue, purple, and scarlet yarn,
with cherubim skillfully worked into them.
They join them together with gold clasps
so that the tent is one piece.
They make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle,
ram skins dyed red,
and outer coverings of leather for protection.
Frames of acacia wood are set upright,
joined with crossbars,
overlaid with gold,
and standing in silver bases.
They craft the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn,
with cherubim skillfully embroidered,
to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy.
They make the curtain for the entrance
embroidered linen,
hung on pillars with bronze bases and silver hooks.
Lord, teach me to labor with care and excellence
in the work You give me.
Let me never see generosity as loss,
but as joy in participating in Your presence among us.
Make me quick to give,
and willing to stop when the need is met,
trusting You to set the pace of both giving and building.
Let my life be built with the same attention to detail
each part joined to the next,
each layer serving its purpose,
each gift offered as part of a greater whole.
And let it all stand as a place
where You are honored and worshiped.
In the name of Jesus,
the Master Builder
and the true meeting place between God and man,
Amen.