“READY AND WILLING”
Text: Exodus 35: 5a-c...
"Take ye from among you an
offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart,
let him bring it, an offering of the LORD.”
The tabernacle was to be dedicated to the honor of
God, and used in his service. Therefore what was brought for the setting up and furnishing of that was an offering to the Lord. Our goodness extends not only to God, but also unto what is laid out for the support of his kingdom. The key phrase here is...”Whosoever is of a willing heart let him bring”. It was not to be a tax imposed upon them, but a benevolent or voluntary contribution. God did not
require these special offerings, but he appealed to people with generous hearts. Only those who were willing to give were invited to participate.
Our God is a prince that does not burden his subjects with taxes, nor make them to serve with an offering, but he draws using the heart-cords of a man through the rightly divided word, and leaves it to ourselves to judge what is right. Our God loves a cheerful giver, and is best pleased with a
free-will offering. Our giving should be from love & generosity and never from a guilty
conscience...................................................
