“A Willing Heart” (Ready to Worship S10E12)

December 13, 2019

Ready to Worship Season 10, Episode 12 for Friday, December 13, 2019

This season on Ready to Worship we are examining the attitude or spirit that we are to have in worship. In this installment of our study, we are focusing on a spirit of willingness. In the book of Exodus, we read of an occasion when the children of Israel came before God with an extremely willing heart. Moses records, “And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord… The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses” (Exo. 35:21-22, 29). Four times in these verses, we find the word willing. They were willing to come, willing to give, willing to help, willing to cooperate, and willing to sacrifice. In fact, they were so willing that Moses had to restrain them from bringing (Exo. 36:6). Can you imagine that? Can you imagine Moses having to restrain them? Yet, that is what happened. The focus of the text doesn’t seem to be on how liberal they were; although, they gave liberally. The focus of the text is on how willing they were. If they had been poor and had but little to give, their offering would have still been accepted because of their willingness. In Second Corinthians, Paul wrote, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2 Cor. 8:12). The first thing that God requires of us is willingness. We must be willing to come, willing to listen, willing to sing, willing to remember, willing to pray, and willing to serve. The Macedonians of Paul’s day, like those of Moses’ day, were willing. Paul says that they were “willing of themselves” (2 Cor. 8:3). In other words, they didn’t get in their own way. They didn’t prevent themselves. They didn’t talk themselves out of giving. In fact, they talked Paul into receiving what they gave. It seems from the context that Paul was reluctant to take their gifts because of their poverty. However, he did receive their offering when they prayed or begged for him to do so (2 Cor. 8:4). You might say that the Macedonians refused to be restrained. As we get ready to worship this week, let’s make sure that we come with a willing heart. The poorest man on earth can do that; and, we are far from poor.