The Willing Giver

Christians who have received the Gospel can view life under the Law of Moses as a extensive list of oppressive, unwelcome demands.  While the Law did contain statutes and judgments that people who feared God submitted to best they could, people were willing to go beyond the letter of the Law to bless God by giving to Him Who had blessed them.  The almighty God heard their cries, freed them from bondage in Egypt, destroyed their enemies, and prepared a good land to enter into.  He also desired to dwell in their midst, and they were given the opportunity to give and labour to that end.

After Moses received God's plans for the tabernacle, he spoke to everyone in the Israelite community to bring an offering to the LORD of whatever they had--and the caveat is they were to be willing, for God loves a cheerful giver.  Exodus 35:20-21 says, "And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. ²¹ Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments."  In the Old Testament we have this wonderful example of God moving in the midst of His people, stirring their hearts to willingly give.  They were not to give because the Law required them to give a particular percentage or amount, nor was a guilt trip laid on them for all God had given them and their obligation to return the favour.  The passage is marked by an incredible willingness in God's people to present offerings to God of what they had of their own free will for His service.

The people were willing to generously give offerings to God and also were willing to come and do the work, to follow the lead of Bezalel and Oholiab to construct the sanctuary.  I am reminded of what happened many years later when the ruined walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt under the leadership of Nehemiah (a cupbearer!), and a diverse group of people who were not masons or even skilled at manual labour who successfully built the wall in a matter of weeks.  The people were so willing to give it came to a point more materials than were necessary for building the tabernacle had been accumulated, and thus the people were restrained from giving.  They had to be commanded by Moses to stop bringing valuable and precious goods to the workers because there was already enough to do the work.  This passage illustrates the willingness to give that marks the people whose God is the LORD.

May the LORD stir our hearts and make us willing to offer ourselves as living sacrifices unto the LORD, and this includes our possessions, skills and abilities.  The raw materials brought to Moses were crafted into a dwelling place of the LORD, and by the work Jesus did on the cross each believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.  In light of all God has given us, we should be moved to generously give as unto Him when opportunities to meet needs arise.  2 Corinthians 9:7-8 says in the context for providing for ministry to believers, "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."  How blessed we are by the riches of God's grace that is always sufficient in all things to give and contribute to His glorious testimony.