Purpose Study Bible 204: Skills

Right before Moses died, he recorded his words of blessing he spoke over each tribe. Some of the tribes got only a few words and other tribes got many, but here is part of the blessing for the tribe of Levi, the priests who were to handle the worship affairs of the nation:

"Bless all his skills, Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands" (Deuteronomy 33:11).

What a simple prayer but one that is so appropriate for any one of God's people, for now we are a nation of priests: "For you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light "(1 Peter 2:9, NLT). We can show others the goodness of God because we are His people, His Levites and servants, and He is in the midst of who we are.

What is implied in the verse from Deuteronomy 33? Each one had skills or talents, perhaps the equivalent of what we would call gifts today. Moses prayed for God's blessing on those skills that they would be used effectively and that what they produce would result in their intended purpose and design. This blessing implied fruit, for Moses asked that God would be pleased with the "work of his [Levi's] hands."

Are you praying for the blessing to be on someone else's work? Are you asking God to bless your own skills and talents? Are you producing something through the work of your hands according to your skills? Are you giving God something to bless through the work you do? If God is going to get His work done on earth, He has to use you. Don't make it difficult for Him to do so, but position yourself to be pleasing to God by making your skills available to Him and others.