Ok . . . so, you wanna talk about “over the top”? . . . you want to think on something that’s hard to get your mind around? . . . you want to get a hernia? Try taking this offering . . . try counting this between services . . . try putting this deposit in a bag and dropping it off at the bank . . . 300 tons of gold . . . 637.5 tons of silver . . . 675 tons of bronze . . . 3,750 tons of iron. There’s no other way to describe it . . . it was a “give-fest”. Actually . . . it was a “give back” fest.

I’m wrapping up 1Chronicles this morning. Before David “goes home”, he takes one last offering for the materials that will be needed by his son, Solomon, to build a temple for God. Since setting his heart on seeing a house built for God, David’s been storing up stuff that would be use as building material. “I’ve done my best,” says David, “to get everything together for building this house for my God, all the materials necessary: gold, silver, bronze, iron, lumber, precious and varicolored stones, and building stones–vast stockpiles” (1Chron. 29:2 MSG). But it doesn’t stop there . . . he then gives out of his personal “bank account” . . . and then invites the people to do likewise . . . and what do you end up with? In addition to the “official temple building account”, you get the offering detailed above. Amazing! But what really grabs me this morning is David’s perspective on the “give fest” . . .

“And now we thank You, our God, and praise Your glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from You, and of Your own have we given You. For we are strangers before You and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building You a house for Your holy name comes from Your hand and is all Your own.” (1Chronicles 29:13-16 ESV)

You don’t sense any hesitation . . . they had been stewards of that which God had given them . . . and now their hearts were moved to give of that stewardship to see a place built for the glory of God to dwell . . . “now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to You” (29:17b). And, there’s no boasting . . . no marveling at how much they had thrown in the plate . . . no credit taken for being so generous . . . just a heavenly reality check that all they had done was given to God what was already His. All things come from God . . . what they gave to God was already His . . . He had provided them the joy of freely and willingly giving it back.

What a deception to think of that which I possess as being mine because I earned it. What arrogance to consider that any measure of wealth I might know is because of how hard I’ve worked . . . or how smart or talented I am. What do I have that God has not given me? Answer: Nothing! While He allowed all this “stuff” to be mine to steward, may I never lose sight of the fact that it is His stuff. And when He asks me to give a portion back . . . or all of it back . . . may I do so willing and gratefully asking, “Who am I, that I should be able thus to offer willingly?”

And David recognizes that even the attitude is from God, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of Your people, and direct their hearts toward You.” (29:18) Oh, that God’s people might be filled with such purposes and thoughts . . . that their hearts would be directed toward the Majesty on high . . . that their treasures might be recognized as His treasure and offered back joyously when He calls for it.

Over the top? Yeah . . . that’s how “give back” fests can be. What a privilege . . . what a joy . . . what a God! Amen?

“And they ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness.” (1Chronicles 29:22 ESV)