2 Chronicles 29:31-36: a reflection

31Then Hezekiah answered, “Now you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the LORD’s house.” The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. All these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and three thousand sheep. 34But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. 35Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the LORD’s house was set in order. 36Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of that which God had prepared for the people; for the thing was done suddenly.

The temple has been cleansed and rededicated under King Hezekiah, and now the people bring their offerings. And they bring them freely, joyfully, in abundance: sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings, so many that the priests could hardly keep up. And the chapter ends with joy: Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, for the thing had come about suddenly. Willing hearts made the worship overflow with gladness.

Notice the spirit of the people's offering: willing, abundant, joyful. They were not giving grudgingly, or under compulsion, but freely, as many as were of a willing heart, bringing so much that the priests were overwhelmed. And the result was joy, rejoicing over what God had done. When hearts are willing, giving to God becomes not a burden but a gladness, and worship overflows. And the text notes that it was God who had prepared the people, God who had made their hearts willing.

That joyful, willing giving is what God delights in, and what he himself works in his people's hearts. Our giving and serving can be grudging, done under a sense of duty or compulsion; but God delights in the willing heart, the giving that overflows freely and gladly. And such willingness is itself God's work in us, as it was in Hezekiah's people, whom God had prepared. Ask God to make your heart willing, so that your giving and serving him are not grudging duties but glad and free, overflowing like the offerings of that day. Do not serve God grudgingly; ask him to work in you a willing heart, and offer him your service freely and joyfully, rejoicing, as that assembly rejoiced, in what God has done, and in the gladness of giving to him with a willing heart he himself has prepared.

Lord, when the temple was rededicated under Hezekiah, the people brought their offerings freely, joyfully, in abundance, so many that the priests could hardly keep up; and they rejoiced over what you had prepared for the people, for you had made their hearts willing. Let that willing, joyful giving be what I offer, and what you work in me. My giving and serving can be grudging, done under a sense of duty or compulsion; but you delight in the willing heart, the giving that overflows freely and gladly. And such willingness is itself your work in me, as it was in Hezekiah's people, whom you had prepared. Make my heart willing, so that my giving and serving you are not grudging duties but glad and free, overflowing like the offerings of that day. Keep me from serving you grudgingly; work in me a willing heart, and help me offer you my service freely and joyfully, rejoicing, as that assembly rejoiced, in what you have done. Make my heart willing, Lord, and my giving glad.