Make Room for His Presence
Read: Exodus chapter 25
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how deeply people want God. We want His peace, comfort, grace, direction, and strength. We were created for His presence. We were made to walk closely with Him. But if we’re honest, there’s also tension in us. We want God close while still wanting control of our lives. We want His comfort without confrontation. We want His presence without surrender.
A few weeks ago I said this in church, "We want God near without rearranging our lives for Him," and I think that’s more true than most of us would like to admit. Culture teaches us to build life around ourselves. Burger King built an entire brand around “Have it your way,” because it taps into human nature. We naturally want things on our terms, and sometimes we bring that same mindset into our relationship with God.
But Exodus 25 shifts the conversation. For the first time in Scripture, God gives instructions for a dwelling place among His people, “Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst,” (Exodus 25:8). God wanted to move into the middle of their lives. What stands out to me is that before God gives dimensions for the Tabernacle, He first asks the people for an offering. Why? Because making room for God always costs us something. The Tabernacle wasn’t going to magically appear; God chose partnership. He invited His people to participate in building the very place that would host His presence. The people brought gold, silver, wood, fabric, oil, and jewels—not leftovers, but valuable things. And those treasures had originally come from Egypt when God delivered them. In other words, God had already provided what they would later use to build—that changes the perspective completely.
Biblical generosity starts with understanding that everything we have already belongs to God. We are not owners, we are stewards. And honestly, our giving reveals what we value. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," (Matthew 6:21). We always create room for what matters most to us. We make room for careers, entertainment, hobbies, sports, and comfort. But do we intentionally make room for God? Do we prioritize prayer? Do we spend time in His Word? Do we worship outside of Sunday mornings? Do we obey when it costs us something? That’s really the challenge of Exodus 25. God didn’t just ask for resources. He asked for willing hearts.
Scripture says, “From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me,” (Exodus 25:2). God has never been after reluctant worship or guilt-driven obedience. He wants hearts that genuinely value His presence. Again and again, we see the same truth: the presence of God is free, but making room for Him will cost us something. The beautiful part is that the offering was never ultimately about money, it was about creating a dwelling place for God.
Today, we are now that dwelling place. Scripture says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Every act of generosity, every moment of serving, every prayer prayed, every sacrifice made in obedience to Jesus helps create spaces where people can encounter Him. That’s why generosity matters in the local church... not because God needs something from us, but because He still chooses partnership with His people!
At CFAN, generosity helps us reach people with the Gospel, strengthen families, disciple the next generation, and create environments where people can encounter the presence of God. So maybe the question we need to ask ourselves is simple: What is my life arranged around right now? Because something is always at the center. Joshua said: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” That’s still the invitation today. God desires to dwell among His people. Will we make room for Him?
Take a moment and reflect:
What currently receives most of your time, attention, energy, and affection?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how deeply people want God. We want His peace, comfort, grace, direction, and strength. We were created for His presence. We were made to walk closely with Him. But if we’re honest, there’s also tension in us. We want God close while still wanting control of our lives. We want His comfort without confrontation. We want His presence without surrender.
A few weeks ago I said this in church, "We want God near without rearranging our lives for Him," and I think that’s more true than most of us would like to admit. Culture teaches us to build life around ourselves. Burger King built an entire brand around “Have it your way,” because it taps into human nature. We naturally want things on our terms, and sometimes we bring that same mindset into our relationship with God.
But Exodus 25 shifts the conversation. For the first time in Scripture, God gives instructions for a dwelling place among His people, “Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst,” (Exodus 25:8). God wanted to move into the middle of their lives. What stands out to me is that before God gives dimensions for the Tabernacle, He first asks the people for an offering. Why? Because making room for God always costs us something. The Tabernacle wasn’t going to magically appear; God chose partnership. He invited His people to participate in building the very place that would host His presence. The people brought gold, silver, wood, fabric, oil, and jewels—not leftovers, but valuable things. And those treasures had originally come from Egypt when God delivered them. In other words, God had already provided what they would later use to build—that changes the perspective completely.
Biblical generosity starts with understanding that everything we have already belongs to God. We are not owners, we are stewards. And honestly, our giving reveals what we value. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," (Matthew 6:21). We always create room for what matters most to us. We make room for careers, entertainment, hobbies, sports, and comfort. But do we intentionally make room for God? Do we prioritize prayer? Do we spend time in His Word? Do we worship outside of Sunday mornings? Do we obey when it costs us something? That’s really the challenge of Exodus 25. God didn’t just ask for resources. He asked for willing hearts.
Scripture says, “From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me,” (Exodus 25:2). God has never been after reluctant worship or guilt-driven obedience. He wants hearts that genuinely value His presence. Again and again, we see the same truth: the presence of God is free, but making room for Him will cost us something. The beautiful part is that the offering was never ultimately about money, it was about creating a dwelling place for God.
Today, we are now that dwelling place. Scripture says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Every act of generosity, every moment of serving, every prayer prayed, every sacrifice made in obedience to Jesus helps create spaces where people can encounter Him. That’s why generosity matters in the local church... not because God needs something from us, but because He still chooses partnership with His people!
At CFAN, generosity helps us reach people with the Gospel, strengthen families, disciple the next generation, and create environments where people can encounter the presence of God. So maybe the question we need to ask ourselves is simple: What is my life arranged around right now? Because something is always at the center. Joshua said: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” That’s still the invitation today. God desires to dwell among His people. Will we make room for Him?
Take a moment and reflect:
What currently receives most of your time, attention, energy, and affection?
Does your daily life reflect that God’s presence is central?
What practical changes could help you prioritize Him more intentionally?
Make room for God's presence this week! Choose one, or multiple of these ideas, to recenter your focus on Christ:
- Set aside daily prayer time
- Remove a distraction competing for your attention
- Spend extended time in worship
- Serve someone intentionally
- Give generously
- Prioritize church community
- Start reading Scripture consistently again
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