Offering Willingly
Offering
Willingly
John
3:16
“For God so loved
the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.”
Matthew
22:37
Jesus
said unto him, “Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind.
- 1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
“Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.” (1 Chronicles 29:9) Six times in this chapter of 1 Chronicles it is written that the people gave willingly even joyfully. Tithing unto God was a priority in times past. It has grown less important in peoples lives today. Consider Luke chapter 2:
1
And
he (Jesus-mine)
looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the
treasury. 2
And
he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.3
And
he said, Of
a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than
they all: 4
For
all these have of their abundance cast in unto
the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the
living that she had.
The
acquiring
of a place to worship collectively
was considered by those contributing to the huge amount of funding as
a worthy cause.
They ‘pitched in” and did their best. Once Solomon completed the
temple they cared
for its needs. As
the people brought gifts for the construction of the temple, it is
mentioned no less than six times in this chapter that their offerings
were willing offerings; joyfully
given.
We
don’t see this enthusiasm among giving Christians today.
High-pressure
solicitations by professional money-raisers—has developed a growing
cynicism in Christians toward God’s
requirements and needs of His leaders. They squeeze out the ten
percent and grudgingly
toss in into the plate as it passes. Then they retire to a fine
restaurant where, without asking God’s blessing) indulge in a
lavish meal fit for a king. Meanwhile,
nearby, children cry from hunger, sick lay helplessly alone and
struggling adults are ignored an unworthy. I call your attention to
Lazarus and the rich man. God’s truth concerning penny punchers
unaware of others needs. No more need be said here.
Why
can’t we know that:,
“God loveth a cheerful giver” (2
Corinthians 9:7).
The Christians
in
Macedonia, though going through “a great trial of affliction” and
in “deep poverty,” their
lives
“abounded unto the riches of their liberality,” and they did so
in “the abundance of their joy” (2
Corinthians 8:2).
What made the difference? It
was
was that they “first gave their own selves to the Lord” (2
Corinthians 8:5).
There
is the key. Giving ones self to the lord isn’t a day of worship and
some pocket change. All things, including time, belongs to God. Yet,
we return him a mite and keep the rest. We are to share in our good
blessings from God and do so with a pure heart and joy.
Long
ago leaders encouraged
the people to give “with perfect heart” (today’s verse). They
had evidently, like the Philippians of Macedonia, also first given
themselves to the Lord. David had led them by example, not coercion,
reminding himself and his people as he prayed a prayer of
thanksgiving that “all things come of thee, and of thine own have
we given thee” (1
Chronicles 29:14).
Charity
has legs that love canot copy. Know God,know peace. Amen 111-31-2019
BLL
Comments
Post a Comment