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 35:29
The words willing and freewill offerings in this verse make it clear that this was not a have-to, but a want-to offering. The people were giving not out of a sense of duty, but delight. They were giving because they wanted to – not because they were commanded to. They were giving with joy!
If there is no commitment to give or desire to give, it is not really a giving problem – it might be a joy or a thankfulness or even a faith problem. I heard a pastor recently ask the question, “What is the problem behind the problem? “ He wasn’t speaking of tithing, but I think it applies here. If tithing is the problem, there is most likely a problem behind the problem.
Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Do we see giving as a blessing? Do we view it as an act of worship?
If we see our treasure as a gift from God, then it will be just another tool to be used to worship, to bring Him glory.
The Israelites surely saw it as a blessing. They kept bringing offerings in daily. Continuously. Until finally Moses had to issue the instructions to stop!
The Old Testament tithe is viewed as 10%, but the New Testament concept of GRACE might suggest that 10% is just a starting point. If we really begin to see that all we have is from Him, then God may indeed prompt us to step out in faith and tithe 15% or 20%, or perhaps even more than that.
Meet RG Letourneau (1888-1969): he was the inventor of earthmoving machinery. He amassed a fortune selling that machinery. But most importantly, he was a follower of Christ.
This was a man who saw all he had as a gift from God. He chose to live on 10% and tithe 90%.
He is known by many things, but perhaps most of all by this quote….
“It’s not abouthow much of my moneyI give to God,
but how much ofGod’s moneyI keep for myself.”
How are you and I using whatever we have – whether a lot or whether a little – to worship God?
The money is not the problem. We’ve got to look at the problem behind the problem – and that might be a lack of love for God or even a lack of faith or trust in God.
In Exodus 35, the people of God gave generously and continuously. It was an act of worship for them, and it should be for us, as well.
The Woman of God worships God as she gives with JOY!
Here’s the link to this week’s audio teaching that includes this truth and others from Exodus 35-36:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/e/ladies-bible-study-exodus-lesson-18-laura-macfarlan-2-12-15/
