Exodus 35

Their hearts were roused, their spirits and hearts moved freely ... these are words The Message uses to describe the generosity of the Israelites in their response to God's command.

Wwhen I hear God's call for me to be generous, compassionate, and kind, my heart is usually roused ... it is in the "free movement" thing where my human side often pulls me back though. Away from worship and love and gratitude and back to self-centeredness ... back to selfishness ... back even to greed.

I pray that, in this hurting world ... this world where so many are really thirsting for signs of a God who loves them, not gods who want from them, those of us who are followers will have our hearts roused and that, beyond even that, we will move freely to show and prove Jesus' love for everyone, especially for those who are hurting and those who may have even turned to the gods of this world in order to numb themselves to the very real and very human pains of this world.

We can change our world ... we can show and teach it love and grace and compassion. Though this starts with the rousing, we have to go beyond that and into the stage of spirits and hearts that move freely.