Exodus 36:1-5: a reflection

1“Bezalel and Oholiab shall work with every wise-hearted man, in whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD has commanded.” 2Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work to do it. 3They received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, with which to make it. They kept bringing free will offerings to him every morning. 4All the wise men, who performed all the work of the sanctuary, each came from his work which he did. 5They spoke to Moses, saying, “The people have brought much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded to make.”

As the tabernacle is being made, something remarkable happens with the people's giving. They keep bringing freewill offerings for the work, morning after morning, until the craftsmen come to Moses and say, The people bring much more than enough for the work that the LORD has commanded us to do. And Moses has to restrain the people from bringing more; they had given more than the work required. Their willing generosity had produced an overflow.

Notice the rare and beautiful problem here: the people gave so freely that they had to be told to stop. Their hearts were so stirred to give to God's work that the offerings overflowed, more than enough. This was not reluctant, calculated giving, the least they could get away with; it was willing, glad, abundant giving that poured out until there was more than the work needed. Their generosity flowed from stirred and willing hearts.

That is a beautiful picture of the kind of giving that flows from a willing heart. We are more often tempted to give God the least we can, calculating carefully, holding back; but here the people gave freely and abundantly, until they had to be restrained. Such giving flows not from obligation but from hearts stirred and willing, glad to give to God's work. Ask whether your giving to God is reluctant and calculated, or willing and generous. Let your giving flow from a stirred and willing heart, freely and abundantly, rather than grudgingly and by the least measure. It is a beautiful thing when God's people give more than enough out of willing hearts; may your giving flow from such a heart, glad and generous toward the work of God.

Lord, as the tabernacle was made, the people brought freewill offerings so abundantly that they had to be restrained, for they gave more than enough; their willing generosity overflowed. Give me a heart like theirs. I am more often tempted to give you the least I can, calculating carefully, holding back; but these people gave freely and abundantly, until they had to be told to stop, their hearts stirred and glad to give to your work. Show me whether my giving to you is reluctant and calculated, or willing and generous. Let my giving flow from a stirred and willing heart, freely and abundantly, rather than grudgingly and by the least measure. It is a beautiful thing when your people give more than enough out of willing hearts; make my giving flow from such a heart, glad and generous toward your work. Stir my heart to give freely, Lord, as theirs was stirred.