Stirred and Willing Hearts
Sometimes we hear of a need and we do absolutely nothing about it. At other times, we hear of a need and think, Oh that’s interesting. I hope that need gets met. Then there are other times when we hear of a need and it strikes us that we are supposed to do something; we just know we’re to get personally involved in helping to meet that need. When that happens (and it should from time to time), our hearts are being stirred. If we are of the mindset (and “heart-set”) to be tuned in to the Holy Spirit, the knowledge that it’s time to get involved is His prompting upon our hearts.
This happened to the children of Israel when it came time to give offerings for the construction of the tabernacle. Seven times in chapters 35 and 36 of Exodus (NKJ), we read about the people’s willing and stirred hearts and spirits in association with their giving.
- Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze; Exodus 35:5
- Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering for the work of the tabernacle… They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the LORD. Exodus 35:21-22
- And all the women whose heart stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair. Exodus 35:26
- The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done. Exodus 35:29
- Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work. Exodus 36:2
It’s pretty hard to miss all those stirred and willing hearts. In fact, there was so much stirring and willingness going on, that the people actually gave too much. In Exodus 36:5, the workers had to tell Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do” (NKJ). What a problem to have!
It will be pretty hard to miss your stirred and willing heart too. Listen to your heart as the Holy Spirit stirs it to move you to give for the work of the ministry. In addition to your church, there are lots of Christian ministries out there doing God’s work – building the Kingdom. As God’s Spirit stirs your spirit, give generously from a willing heart until He says, “Enough.”
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REMINDER: Remember to study your Bible regularly. At any time of the day or night, log on to www.webtv4women.tv. Click the Bible Study channel, and then Sharon’s show, A Heart for the Word. Increase your knowledge of the Word in just 6 minutes a day.
©2010 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including the copyright line. For all devotions, comments, and questions, log onto Sharon’s blog at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com.
My first reaction is to be extremely impressed with the generosity of the Israelites, however, I then recall that the Israelites also gave huge quantities of gold while Moses was on the mountain meeting with God and when he returned to the camp at bottom of the mountain he discovered that the people were worshiping a golden calf that Aaron had made. Tithing and donating to Christian charities is to be praised, however, there is enormous responsibility in making sure that finances are utilized in God honoring ways.