Have A Willing Heart To Give - Daily Devotional March 24th, 2010

Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 35, John 14, proverbs 11, Ephesians 4

Have a Willing Heart to Give

Moses gathered the congregation of Israel together to give them the instructions that he had been given by the Lord. God had told him to build a tabernacle so He could dwell with Israel and He gave Moses the pattern and detailed instructions on how to make it and all the furniture for it. But materials are needed to build. They were out in the middle of a wilderness. It wasn't possible to run to the nearest Home Depot or Lowe's for building materials, or to Michael's for cloth for the curtains and yarn for the embroidery. Where were these materials to come from?

When the Lord spoke to Moses from the burning bush one of the things he said was that they would not leave Egypt empty-handed. The Lord said that every woman was to ask her neighbor for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. He said they would plunder the Egyptians when they left. (Ex. 3:21-22) So when they actually did leave that's exactly what the Israelites did. The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed towards the Israelites and they left rich. (A fitting payment for their 400+ years of slavery!!)

Now out in the wilderness the Lord tells them to bring an offering of what they had received, but only if they were willing. This is emphasized over and over in Exodus 35. "From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood, olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece." Verses 5-9

Even though it was the Lord who made the Egyptians favorably disposed to the requests of the Israelites, the plunder was in their hands now to do with as they wished. The Lord asked everyone who was willing to bring an offering of whatever they wanted. Even their labor was to be done willingly. The women who were willing and had the skill could spin the colored yarn, fine linen or goat hair.

What a lesson for us. Everything we have is from the Lord. Oh sure, we work and earn our living, but where does the strength and ability to do that come from? He gives us the ability to think and the strength in our muscles to work. And he asks us to give. 2 Cor. 9:7 in the Amplified Bible reads "Let each one give as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (that is, He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, prompt-to-do-it) giver -- whose heart is in his giving." One of the root meanings of the Greek word translated "cheerful" is "hilarious." God loves a hilarious giver. He takes pleasure in someone who gives in this way. Do you want to give pleasure to God? Give!!

Prove. 22:9. A generous man will himself be blessed. And we all know the scripture, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts. 20:35. Eph. 4:23 says we are to be made new in the attitude of our minds. I think the area of giving is one of the attitudes that can be made new. It is up to us to decide what and how much we give. The Lord does not want us to give by compulsion. He wants us to make up our minds and then give hilariously from what we have received from him. We can never out-give God. When we give, we are blessed. Scripture says if we give, it will be given to us. That's not the attitude behind our giving, but that's the way God's economy works. You will be given a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, poured into your lap. Luke 6:38.

That should make us hardly wait until the next opportunity comes to give!!

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Exodus 36, John 15, Proverbs 12, Ephesians 5

God is good all the time,

Naomi Brinkman