Day 23 from Pastor Brian Flewelling's 24-Day Devotional Titled "Exodus."
“Everyone whose heart was moved and whose spirit prompted him came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its services, and for the holy garments…So the Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts prompted them to bring something for all the work that the Lord, through Moses, had commanded to be done.” Exodus 35:21, 29
Isn’t it beautiful how the Lord receives our offerings? Some of us, like the widow, have little to give, and some of us have much. God receives the pauper’s penny with more exuberance than the rich man’s millions. God doesn’t measure building programs by dollars and cents but by the size of your heart. His kingdom isn’t increased under compulsion; it’s built with love, thank offerings, and joyful hearts.
God loves generosity because he himself is lavish with his giving. Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” God knows how to give great gifts. Through his freewill offering, the Lord rebuilt the temple of human hearts—The Church—for the Spirit to dwell in. He is not asking us to do anything he hasn’t done himself.
Years later, after Israel had lost their way and betrayed their covenant with God, they were giving God second-rate gifts. It revealed the status of their impoverished hearts. Observe how God responded in Malachi,
When you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not wrong? Bring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor? (1:8).
You can sense how offended God feels at the flimsy offering that costs them nothing. He continues,
My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in my name in every place because my name will be great among the nations (1:11).
God is a righteous and generous King. There is no other God in the earth like him. Will you be a part of building him a house that matches his glory? Will you be a part of building him a sanctuary worthy of the King of Kings? Will you give your freewill offerings of time and worship, your heart and your intellect, your monies, and your priorities? Remember, it is his story and not our story that we are in, and it is his sanctuary and not our own that we are building.
Find the full digital copy of "Exodus" here.
