Page 9 - Week of Emphasis Devotional

Daily text: Exodus 31: 1-6

The Almighty God had a specific design in mind when He provided Moses with the pattern
for the tabernacle in the wilderness. But Moses had a dilemma. Looking over the multitude,
Moses must have wondered where, among the rough labourers, he would ever find a master
craftsperson for the precious metalwork.

But God knew the power of education. So He chose Bezalel, son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah,
and Oholiab, son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan and filled them, and an entire team. “And
I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all
manner of workmanship.” (Ex. 31:3, NKJV)

With a growing proportion of the world’s out-of-school children and adolescents living in
conflict-affected countries, ADRA Canada is working to provide pathways to education in
countries like Sudan, Niger, and Myanmar. In these places, education provides resilience
and empowerment. As in ancient Sinai so long ago, God’s gift of education provides skills and
competencies needed to find appropriate and innovative solutions to overcome challenges .

Questions for reflection/discussion:

1. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary work. We are invited to acquaint ourselves
with and grow in our in knowledge of God. How can education be not only informational
but transformational?

2. In both a knowledge-based platform and a spiritual sense, what are the benefits of
education? What are the drawbacks?

3. “Higher than the highest human thought, is God’s ideal for his children.” How can we use
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education as a tool to empower and equip people to change their lives?

Quote: “Give a person a fish and feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish and feed them for
a lifetime.” -Lao Tzu

Appeal: Will you thank God for the privilege to know him? Will you thank Him for the
blessing of education and will you use it to help others to improve their lives and point them
to the source of true knowledge and wisdom?

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us the opportunity to learn more about you,
about life, love, liberty, your creation, and the world around us. May the supreme object
of our education be to become more like you so you can be seen and be used by us. We are
reminded that you, “grew in wisdom and stature, and favour with God and men (people),” (Luke
2:52), and we pray this will be our true purpose of education and our experience this day
forward in Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Education, p. 118
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