By Tal Haroni

“Thus says the Lord: ‘The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build for Me? And where is the place of My rest?’” – Isaiah 66:1

What kind of dwelling place can we establish for God in our time? Is it the church building? Is it our ministry’s workspace? And what about those who lack a physical structure, those whose ministry is not confined to an office? 

When God instructed Moses to construct the Tabernacle, enabling Him to dwell among the Israelites in the wilderness, He provided detailed instructions.

“And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am showing you as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, so shall you construct it.” – Exodus 25:8-9 

God did not expect Moses to single-handedly erect the Tabernacle. Nor did He require Moses to travel from tribe to tribe gathering funds. God explicitly communicated to Moses His requirements for building the Tabernacle; He presented a blueprint of sorts. Then He directed Moses to approach the children of Israel, motivating them to contribute to the Tabernacle’s construction.

It wasn’t solely about monetary contributions; it involved a system of exchange and barter. Each individual offered their skills, abilities, and talents. In those days, if one person had an abundance of eggs from raising chickens and another person had an excess of milk from raising cows, they could exchange eggs for milk.

During the Tabernacle’s construction, each person contributed based on their individual skills. Some excelled in weaving and sewing, contributing to the Tabernacle’s fabrics. Others raised goats and provided their skins. Some were adept at metalwork and supplied metals, and so forth.

And what about today? God has gifted each of us with talents and abilities. He designed each of us uniquely so that we may reflect His image in a distinct way. Thus, the Tabernacle of God is constructed from people.

Within our community, we witness this principle in action. No single person bears the entire load. Some excel in agriculture, others in outreach, and some in the culinary arts and design. Each one possesses talents and gifts bestowed by the Lord. Collectively, we work together to fulfill God’s calling in our midst.

This approach yields two remarkable advantages: Firstly, the burden is not shouldered on one individual. It is not a one-man show. Even Moses required assistance from judges to address the people’s issues. No one is intended to manage everything by himself. Regardless of talent, leadership, or capability, attempting to manage everything single-handedly eventually leads to burnout. Sharing the workload among several individuals is far more manageable and pleasant.

Secondly, it nurtures a sense of unity and belonging. Envision a woman entering the Tabernacle and beholding the fabric she contributed. An immediate sense of ownership and belonging washes over her. Feeling belonging is a fundamental human need. When someone feels a sense of belonging, they invest themselves more wholeheartedly.

We all have gifts and talents, we all yearn for a sense of belonging, and we equally desire not to bear the burden alone. Therefore, the Tabernacle we erect today, the space for God’s dwelling, thrives on the contributions of everyone.

Today, I invite you to ponder a few questions: What is unique about me? In what areas do I excel? How can I contribute to others? Where can others contribute to my mission and provide assistance? What talents do my brothers or sisters possess that I lack?

Collectively, we assemble the Tabernacle. In unison, we extend an invitation for God to work. Together, we can reach new heights. In harmony, we more clearly reflect the image of Jesus.