From my experience, there seems to be somewhat of an ebb and flow to the Christian life. Times of being “on fire” and times not so much. Periods where, spiritually, you feel like you’re firing on all 8 cylinders, and periods when the gas tank seems empty. Sometimes feeling so near to the heart of God and other times feeling He is so distant. And it’s in those latter times . . . the times of “not so much” and empty gas tanks and distance . . . it’s in those times when I think revival is needed. Revival . . . that’s not a word I hear used very much . . . not a concept I hear discussed a lot . . . but, for me at least, it’s something I sense a need for. And, as I read in Exodus this morning, I’m reminded that revival too, like all my greatest needs, is from God . . . that He is the One who can stir it up!

The Israelites were ready for some revival. They had kind of crashed and burned at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The golden calf was gone . . . dust . . . but so were 3,000 Israelite men (Ex. 32:25-28) . . . hundreds and hundreds of fresh graves reminding the nation that the wages of sin is death. And so they were ready . . . being aware of sin has a way of doing that . . . they were ready for some revival.

And what did God use? The building of the tabernacle . . . the construction of the place where His glory would dwell among them . . . and before it could be built, the materials needed to be supplied . . . cue the call . . .

“Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, ‘This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution . . . ‘” (Ex. 35:4-9)

And, what’s grabbed me, is that it was about more than just having the means to meet the need . . . it was was about a “generous heart” and a willing heart. God owned the stuff already . . . what He wanted was the people to freely give the stuff from the heart. Repeatedly this is emphasized in the passage: “. . . they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him (35:21) . . . all who were of a willing heart (35:22) . . . all the women whose hearts stirred them (35:26) . . . all the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work of the Lord (35:29) . . . brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD (35:29).”

Isn’t that the essence of revival? Hearts that are stirred . . . spirits that are moved . . . a response to obedience not out of compulsion but of a freewill? And as I read this, I can’t help but sense that God is behind it all. That the God of steadfast love . . . the Almighty and merciful God . . . the Awesome and gracious God . . . the slow to anger God . . . has, in His compassion, stirred the hearts of those who, but a little while earlier, had been dancing and partying around a golden calf. God, through Moses, has called on them to give what they have . . . He has given them an avenue of service . . . and, I think, God, through His Spirit, has brought a measure of revival, stirring hearts to respond in generous obedience. Is it not God who is stirring up hearts? I’m thinkin’ . . .

Soon, there was an abundance of material for the sanctuary . . . too many donations . . . and Moses has to tell the people to stop . . . “So the people were restrained from brining, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more” (36:6b-7).

Sure, the Israelites would crash again . . . the ebb would return . . . but now, now there was a flow! The flow of hearts responding to the call of God!

Oh, that I would know less ebb and more flow. That the times of distance would be short . . . that I would be quick to seek to draw near to God in those times . . . and that God would be swift to send my own “mini-revival” . . . that He would move my heart . . . that He, by His grace, would stir it up! Amen?