I love the part in Exodus when Moses must tell the people to stop bringing donations to build the tabernacle. It’s a beautiful moment of God stirring hearts to over-provide for the work. We read this in Exodus 36:
Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.” Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.
Can you imagine the joy of the workers when they had to say, “Tell them to stop! We have too much!” I like thinking of God prompting people to give generously like this, but I also love the image of God this gives us: abundant, gracious, over-providing. Is it possible God doesn’t just stop at a simple blessing but gives us even more than we desire? Is it possible He’s a God of over-blessing? I smiled when I think of God over-providing.
I think it’s good to think of God this way. It resonates with Paul’s words: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. . .
Instead of thinking that God won’t give enough of what we need, think of Him like this: God over-provides. He does immeasurably more.