Last week we began our journey on exactly how we should give. By studying Scripture, we saw that we give out of love and unto the Lord. Today, we delve further on the guidelines of giving, as we focus on giving from the heart.
2. Giving from the Heart
We have seen for ourselves that God has instructed us to give. Because we love Him, we are expected to obey this instruction. However, God places a caveat on this instruction. The caveat is that whatever we give, we must give from our hearts.
We first see this when the LORD gave Moses instructions on the building of the ark of the covenant:
The LORD said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give.
Exodus 25:1-2
The only offering that was acceptable to God was the one given from the heart! What happened after Moses gave this instruction?
Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments…All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.
Exodus 35:20-29
Do you see it? The Israelites gave unto the Lord as they had each decided in their hearts. Moses DID NOT instruct them on what to give to the Lord. He DID NOT force them to give. He DID NOT threaten them that they would lose their blessings. All he DID was to pass on the message of the Lord. And what happened?
Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.” Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they had was more than enough to do the work.
Exodus 36:1-7
They gave so much that they had to be restrained from giving! How amazingly awesome is that? When people give from their hearts, they are extremely generous in their giving. Not only that, but this type of giving pleases God.
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
The Message version of the above mirror reads:
I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.
Your Turn
Have you ever felt forced to give? Do you find yourself giving reluctantly? Do you take time to think over your giving? Do you decide for yourself how much you will give? Does joy flow out of your heart when you give? Do you actually delight in your giving?
The Lord is categorical about this. All giving should flow from the heart. If this is not true for you, are you willing to start giving as your have decided in your heart, unto the Lord from the foundation of love?
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
2 Corinthians 8:12