The offered willingly

Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the LORD; and King David also rejoiced greatly. – 1 Chronicles 29v9

Building the Temple was going to be expensive – tremendously expensive. There was gold and silver and copper and bronze and marble and cedar and all kinds of costly materials. Labourers and craftsmen had to be paid. The cost was going to be phenomenal.

So what did the leaders do? Did they have a big find raising push? Did they take pledges? Did they have everyone fill out commitment cards? Did they have a ‘faith promise’ drive?

While these things may be practical and I don’t think they are necessarily wrong the Temple Fund did not need any of these things. They told the people there was a need and they gave. They gave willingly, they gave with joy, and they gave with loyal hearts.

This reminds of the New Testament teaching on giving where we read that ‘God loves a cheerful giver. We read the examples of the church who gave even out of their poverty. It looks like God’s people are givers just because they are God’s people.

Giving ought to be the most natural thing for believers. We should not have to be begged, cajoled, pestered, battered, excited, or even tricked into giving.

If we have a loyal heart, seems that giving willingly is going to be the most natural result.