"Stop Giving!"

Exodus 35:4-9, 36:2-6

The Israelites are getting ready to build the first tabernacle that God has instructed them to build. The materials were all given to God as free-will offerings. No one was forced to give, and God gave no percentage of goods that had to be given per person. The people just gave as there hearts led them to. And what they gave were not old clothes or can goods from the back shelf. They were giving gold, silver, and true finery.

An amazing thing takes place in the beginning of chapter 26. The men that God had chosen to do the work received all the offerings to begin the work, but the people continued to bring more and more every morning. Finally they had so much it began to overwhelm them and Moses had to "restrain" the people from giving anything else!

Now I know the Israelites blew it a lot of the time, but this time they got it right! They truly gave from their hearts and when they did, their offerings were more than enough. Can you imagine going to your church this Sunday and your pastor saying to the congregation, "We have already met budget for the year and have no idea what to do with all this extra money, so please, stop giving!" That sound absurd, doesn't it? But, literally, that is what happened in this passage.

What this teaches me, it that God has provided enough resources to support His Church. So why are so many churches and parachurch organizations suffering financially? Because we are failing to give from our hearts.

Today, ask God what He would have you give to His Church this year. If you have never given on a regular basis, ask God to help you start. If you do give a certain percentage of your income regularly, ask God to show you if that is the amount He would have you continue to give. And, ask Him to help you not only give financially this year, but also of yourself.