GOD LOVES A JUBILANT GIVER
O LORD our God, from Your hand comes all this abundanceH1995 that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy Name, and all of it belongs to You. I know, my God, that You testH974 the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfullyH8057 and willingly to You.
1 Chronicles 29:16-17
H1995 הָמוֹן hâmôwn – . . . it also describes the roar of nature in the rain . . . In general usage, it also indicates wealth and a great supply or mass of things (1 Chr. 29:16; 2 Chr. 31:20; Jer. 49:32)
The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Old Testament, Baker and Carpenter, eds.
David utters a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing over all the donations given to build God’s Temple. God has rained down the blessing of great wealth for the nation of Israel, and David acknowledges that the items they had donated were truly originally God’s gifts to them. He named one of the first and foremost principles of Christian stewardship: It all belongs to God. Sometimes our use of material goods is a proof test of our love for God.
H974 בָּחַן bâchan – a primitive root; to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate:—examine, prove, tempt, try (trial).
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.
Zechariah 13:9b (BSB)
Prove is the word used in refining gold until it is so pure the refiner can see his/her own reflection in the molten metal like a mirror image. God works in our lives, testing and refining us, until we are conformed to and reflect the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). He desires us to have a heart like His, to embody the character of Christ. David had given wholeheartedly out of his love for the Lord. The people of Israel had also given willfully and joyfully. The word for “joyfully” in the Hebrew means a joyful celebration.
In the New Testament, we read, “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The Israelites were joyful or cheerful givers. Think for a few minutes about your own giving. You may or may not believe Christians should tithe. Let’s put that argument aside for the moment. When we decide in our heart to give a gift to God, the giving—whether it be a tithe or an offering other than a tenth—should be done cheerfully. Our giving should be a joyful celebration of the fact that God has provided everything we own and given us the privilege of giving back to Him. As Christians, our lives should be God’s living conduits of cheerful giving, sharing God’s goodness with others.
Father, thank You for providing not only for our needs but enough to share with others by giving back to You. Help us to remember the principle that everything belongs to You in the first place and not be reluctant to give back to You what is Yours in tithing or meeting specific needs You place on our hearts. May giving to You result in a happy dance!