BRING ME AN OFFERING
Exodus 25:1-9
The scripture reading today tells us that taking of offerings is not man’s idea. God himself instructed Moses to tell the people to bring offerings into His sanctuary! So when next you are giving in church – whether it is your own free will offering; payment of tithe or you are contributing to a project in church, you are not doing the pastor or the church any favour. Look beyond the church and the leadership. See God behind the whole scene. Your offering is God’s idea. He demands it. It is a commandment that you should obey.
And it comes with very big and solid conditions:
Speak into the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering of EVERY man that giveth it WILLINGLY with his HEART ye shall take my offering.
Let’s break this verse down to look at the conditions. One, the offering belongs to the Lord not to man. He said “Bring Me an offering” Not bring the church an offering. Secondly, he commands every man! No one is exempted. Is there any one excluded from God’s blessings? Definitely no one. So you are not left out. Neither is your spouse, child or anyone in your house. Everyone must bring an offering. Thirdly, they must offer it willingly. It is not by compulsion. Each must determine what his/her ability can give. Don’t rate yourself by some other person. God knows your ability. Don’t underrate yourself. Neither put yourself under stress because you want to give like your neighbor also. It is a matter of the heart. God sees the hearts of man. One man of God said that God puts the microphone into man’s heart and not his mouth. In other words, while giving your offering, God looks not at your hand but at your heart.
Finally, Moses should receive God’s offering. God will not come down physically to receive your gifts. The Men of God in your assembly have been given the mandate to receive and administer it. Just as you receive instructions to give, they also receive instruction to administer. If they deviate from God’s instructions they will be judged. Before we close for the day, you will note that the offering expected of you is not limited. You can bring gold, silver and brass (i.e. cash). You can bring materials: purple, blue, scarlet and fine linen. You can also bring animals. In today’s parlance, money and any property or material that can be useful in the kingdom is welcome.
When Abraham was going to offer Isaac to the Lord, he told his servants, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship”, (Genesis 22:5). He established offering as worship. It goes beyond dropping something in the offering bucket or transferring an amount into the church account. It is worship. It is on the same pedestal as your “praise and worship”, prayers and other services you render in the house of God. In view of its importance, we are devoting this month to once again consider this matter of offering unto the Lord.
MEDITATION: Every man that giveth it willingly with his heart shall be acceptable.
