Day 13 in the Wilderness: Be a willing participant.

“And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying: ‘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 ‭35:4-5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I think most people of my generation have heard some rendition of the story “The Little Red Hen” (an American fable). The story goes that a little red hen found a small amount of grain and decided that she would make bread out of it. She first planted the grain in order that she would have enough to make a lot of bread. She asked many of the farm animals if they were willing to help her plant the grain; and they all refused. When the grain had grown and it came time to harvest, she again asked the farm animals if they were willing to help her gather the harvest. They all refused. Next, the grain needed to be ground. The little hen asked all the farm animals if they would help and their response was the same, “No!” When requesting help with gathering the other ingredients needed to make the bread, and with mixing the ingredients and cooking the bread, she was also refused. Finally, when the bread was prepared, she asked the farm animals who would be willing to help eat the bread; and they all were willing to do so. As I remember, she refused to give them the bread and explained that it was because they were unwilling to help her do any of the other things that led up to the bread being made. The moral of the story is: if you want to eat the bread, be willing to do the work.

“If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1:19-20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We see the sentiment being expressed by the Lord many times throughout the scripture that willing obedience is rewarded.

I have observed that given a task to do, people will generally respond in one of three different ways. First of all, there’s that person who is willing to do or give whatever they can. A second kind of responder is unwilling to do anything, and is completely detached from the project or need at hand. Thirdly—and perhaps the most insufferable type of responder—is the one who doesn’t want to give or do anything, but is highly critical of those who ARE doing and giving.

“For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.”

‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭8:12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Lord expects that we give or do according to what we have and according to our ability. He does not expect us to give what we don’t have or to do what we can’t do.

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭9:7-8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We are promised that our willingness in giving and doing will be rewarded with abundance.

Today we find Moses telling the people that the Lord has asked for an offering from all who are willing. The purpose of the offering is to build the tabernacle for which the Lord has given Moses detailed instructions. Their reaction to the call for donations was so overwhelming that they actually had to be told to stop bringing things in!

“And they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of making the sanctuary. So they continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, and they spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do.” So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.” And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭36:3-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

With all of their other faults, unwillingness to give, or to work, did not seem to be a problem.

We don’t always end up where we wanted to be or doing what we wanted to do. But, if we are willing and obedient to the word of the Lord, He will bless us where we are and continue to help us to make it where we need to be.

If there’s work to be done for the common good, if there’s resources needed for the benefit of the same, let us willingly give to the Lord what we have, and do what we are able to do. Surely He will bless us to overflowing with more than enough to do every good work.

For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:

Be a willing participant.

#40daysinthewilderness