A willing heart is likened to a cheerful desire with the heart filled with love. Such a heart resulted in an action of giving. This is encouraging to us as we see the willingness of the children of Israel in giving for the construction of the Tabernacle. They were not commanded by Moses to give and yet they gave out of their deep sense of desire and love for God. There are three observations about the willing hearts of the children of Israel.

(1) Stirring of the Willing Hearts (Exod 35:20-21)

The hearts of the children of Israel were stirred and made willing in their spirit. As such, they were excited about giving unto God. Their hearts lifted them up and compelled them to serve the Lord by giving. They remembered how the Lord had delivered them out of Egypt. They were constrained by the love of God, and that was the motivation why they gave. This is beyond mere emotion or out of a sense of duty.

(2) Giving of the Willing Hearts (Exod 35:22-29)

It was one thing to say but another thing to act upon what was spoken. The children of Israel translated the willingness of their hearts to give into real action. They gave thoughtfully, purposefully and carefully. It was not done haphazardly or with an expectation of receiving some form of remuneration proportionately to the amount they gave. Everyone gave according to what they have received from the Lord, be it possessions or skills. All their giving were used for the Lord’s work.

(3) Wisdom of the Willing Hearts (Exod 35:30-35)

It was the Spirit of God who filled the children of Israel with wisdom and understanding. With such a wisdom, God’s work being a spiritual work is therefore carried out based upon His Words faithfully. It was not based solely on the efficiency or outcomes. Most importantly, it must bear a holy testimony for God. The whole purpose is not just to get the things done, but to also teach others how to do them rightly and faithfully. Willingness ought to be accompanied with diligence, hence we are to cultivate our spiritual gifts so that they can grow to the highest level. We must be willing to learn to improve ourselves and to serve God with the best of our skills or possessions, so that God’s people may be blessed, and His name be glorified.

May our hearts be stirred and let our giving to God be done thoughtfully, purposefully and carefully. And let us cultivate our spiritual gifts so that we can use them to the blessing of God’s people and to the glory of God. Amen.