2 Chronicles 31:7-21: a reflection

7In the third month, they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and his people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. 10Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, “Since people began to bring the offerings into the LORD’s house, we have eaten and had enough, and have plenty left over, for the LORD has blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.” 11Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the LORD’s house, and they prepared them. 12They brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things faithfully. Conaniah the Levite was ruler over them, and Shimei his brother was second. 13Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the ruler of God’s house. 14Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the gatekeeper at the east gate, was over the free will offerings of God, to distribute the LORD’s offerings and the most holy things. 15Under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, to the great as well as to the small; 16in addition to those who were listed by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the LORD’s house, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their divisions; 17and those who were listed by genealogy of the priests by their fathers’ houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their divisions; 18and those who were listed by genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation; for in their office of trust they sanctified themselves in holiness. 19Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the pasture lands of their cities, in every city, there were men who were mentioned by name to give portions to all the males among the priests and to all who were listed by genealogy among the Levites. 20Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he did that which was good, right, and faithful before the LORD his God. 21In every work that he began in the service of God’s house, in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart and prospered.

When Hezekiah restores true worship and calls the people to bring their tithes and offerings, the response is overwhelming. They bring so much that it piles up in heaps, and there is plenty left over. When Hezekiah asks about the heaps, the chief priest explains: Since the people began to bring the offerings, we have eaten and had enough, and have plenty left, for the LORD has blessed his people. Their generous giving, and God's blessing, produced not scarcity but abundance, heaps left over.

Notice the spirit of the giving. The people did not give grudgingly or by minimum requirement; they gave generously, out of gratitude for God's blessing, until there was more than enough. And far from leaving them depleted, their generosity met with such abundance that the leftovers had to be stored. It is a picture of grateful, wholehearted generosity flowing back to God in response to his goodness, and of the abundance that can follow.

There is an invitation here into that kind of giving. So often our giving to God is careful, minimal, held back, calculated to keep enough for ourselves. Hezekiah's people show another way: generous, glad, abundant giving in grateful response to God's blessing, trusting him with the results. And notice how the account describes Hezekiah himself: whatever he undertook in the service of God, he did with all his heart, and prospered. Give generously and gladly in response to God's goodness, do the work he gives with your whole heart, and trust him with the rest.

Lord, when Hezekiah's people gave generously in response to your blessing, there was abundance, heaps left over. Free me from careful, minimal, held-back giving. Give me a grateful, glad, generous heart that gives freely in response to your goodness, trusting you with the results. And like Hezekiah, help me do whatever I undertake in your service with all my heart.