The Most Generous Family

Ezra 7:16 and whereas all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests, are to be freely offered for the house of their God in Jerusalem— The freewill offering was just as it sounds.......an offering given freely, not because of any obligation, promise, or vow. The offerings gathered to build the second Temple were collected by means of a freewill offering. I believe that the freewill offering is the very heart of God concerning us. As a father, I give my kids plenty of commands. Take out the trash, wash the dishes, make up your bed. It makes me proud when they do what I ask of them, although sometimes it's like pulling teeth (Just think of God's perspective)! But nothing blesses me more than when they do something out of their own heart for me. Nothing makes me happier, than when they write me a card, or draw me a picture as a gift just because they wanted to! As believers, we have commands that have been given to us by our Father, but our lives, worship and giving should be freewill gifts. God is even blessed when we give of ourselves into the lives of others! We have freely received uncountable blessings from Him, so let us also freely give, and in doing so we will show that we belong to the most generous family........the family of God.